I Can't Help Myself

I know someone is not going to be happy with this story, but it is too good not to share.
A really nice man and I were shopping at the mall a few weeks ago. I am in line to pay
and he said he would go and get the car and meet me in front of the store so I didn't have
to be in the heat. He really is a good man!! I finish paying and go outside where I expect
to see him waiting for me. I wait and wait. I finally decide I have misunderstood him and
maybe I was supposed to meet him at the car. I finally call him on the cell phone to see
if I have made a mistake. He tells me I am correct and he will be there soon. I cannot
figure out what has taken him so long. He pulls up (finally) and as soon as I get in the
car I realize what the problem was. For 10 minutes he has been fighting with these!!
(They are from my car that he doesn't drive all that much!!)

Hopefully you can tell what they are!!

He never did get them folded up and they

were sitting in the backseat!

Yes, I know I am spoiled

It is true that I know I am spoiled. But, I also
know that life was not always this way. I can
remember having 6 children at home and
having their needs come first.
So life is different now (evidently).

I had a good time at the outlet stores in Oregon
last week. One very good thing about Oregon is
No Sales Tax!! It really did make a difference.
Thanks to the girls for a new outfit and for lunch.

I can remember being a young girl at our local
Penney's store and shopping for shoes. My feet
are so wide that my mother told the shoe salesman
my sisters could get shoes and I would take the
box because that is all that would fit me.

Well, fast forward many years and I discovered
wide-width shoes. I have also discovered
Naturalizer shoes at the Outlet Stores. Of course
none in Arizona!! I would stock up when we went to
Washington. Mr Daniel is so good to me. He
took an empty duffle bag to Oregon to put my
shoes in that I would find.
I guess you could say I struck gold!! Boy, did I have
fun.






.

Where did we go??

This is one of the houses we rented in Lincoln City, Oregon. I loved the view from all those windows.

Some of us went to sleep to the sound of the waves crashing. We built a fire and roasted hot dogs and ate smores on the beach.

We became good friends while we were together. These two were always together.

We ate and then we ate some more. In case we might get hungry, we ate some more and then some more for good measure.

Who did we see?

It was fun to walk along the beach with such fun people. My sister and her husband joined the party

Here we are at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

This was near the lighthouse and we were enjoying our chocolate muffins. It was the only day we had rain (mist).

Yes, this is on purpose!! We are acting up after our family picture was taken. We were only missing 11 people, but we tried and failed to have everyone come. Maybe next year.

What did we see?

Yaquina Lighthouse on the Oregon coast.

I never knew starfish were so colorful. They were plentiful at the tide pools.

I decided I love the ocean, it is so peaceful.

How about a stroll along the beach at sunset with a good-looking man!! I have to admit it was one of the only days we saw the sun. But, I could live with 65 degree weather.

Christina

Tomorrow we will get to have chocolate cake and ice cream with this little girl (and 10 of her cousins). It doesn't happen very often that we get to celebrate in person. She sure is a cute girl. I was having radiation when she was born and I couldn't go to help the new mom. But, we made it to her blessing!!

Miss Christina was named after one of her daddy's relatives that crossed the plains in a handcart company. The church was celebrating the pioneers when her mom felt impressed to name her Christina. She will always be Miss Christina (sorry, no nicknames for this girl.

Miss Christina will go to pre-school in the Fall. Yes, they really have Fall in Michigan. She gives great hugs and loves to have Grandma Mac read stories. Our favorite right now is the Dragon book by my favorite Dav Pilkey. Happy Birthday, Miss Christina. See you tomorrow!!

Why Haven't I Blogged????

I must be feeling brave to post these pictures!! Needless to say, we have been busy. We have found many reasons to be busy. Can you count the reasons?

Papa does the very best cannonballs of anyone in the whole family. Do it again, Papa, do it again. He can cause some major waves!!

So, for two weeks we ate, swam, read, ate, swam, watched movies, ate, swam, went to the mall, went to the library, ate, swam, read, ate and swam. There was a little bit of sleep in there too. It was so hot!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't really say go outside and play. We will be with this group again next week with a few more added. (But, not at my house and the weather will be cooler!)

What A Man

I know this is a lousy picture, but one of the only ones I have with my Aunt Mary (my dad's sister) and my Uncle John. It wasn't until I started doing family history, that I was able to put some puzzle pieces together about their lives. Aunt Mary's first husband was also named John. He passed away at a young age and left her a young widow with 5 sons. I just think what a jewel of a man to marry a woman with that many children and help to raise them. He has to be a special man.
The part that I wanted to tell was my experience with Uncle John. He and Aunt Mary were "babysitting" us. I have no idea where our parents were or how long they were gone. I had gone into the bathroom wearing some costume jewelry. (you know where this story is headed!) I did my "big" job on the toilet and of course a piece of the jewelry fell into the toilet. I carried on for so long that finally poor Uncle John put his hand into the toilet to retrieve the jewelry. I don't even think I would do that for my own children. He was a saint. This is one of the few memories I have of my childhood home and it is a tad bit embarrassing to remember. Uncle John, will you forgive me?

Hark It's Clark

The birthdays come fast and furious lately. I wanted to wish Mr. Clark Daniel a Happy 6th Birthday. We had been on a trip and as soon as we landed my phone rang to let us know a baby boy had arrived. I got ready in one day and then I was off to Provo to be with the little family. The whole family gathered in Provo for his blessing and that was a special time to all be together.

Mr. Clark has always been a happy guy. Can you tell from the pictures? I am sure he will always be a University of Michigan fan.

He will be in first grade in the Fall (in Princeton, New Jersey). He takes piano lessons from his mom and plays soccer. He does a really good job playing goalie. He really excelled in Kindergarten and we could see how much he has grown. He makes good choices and is such a fun guy to be around. We will see you soon, Clark. We love you and hope you had a great birthday.

Every Picture Has A Story

I wish I could remember all the details surrounding this picture and the story that goes with it. I know I was in Redlands, CA because my Mother-In-Law had been sick. My mother and sister were going on a trip to Arizona and I hitched a ride home with them. Can you tell we didn't get out of the drive-way before my mother's car was acting up.

The tow truck driver had room in his cab for my sister T, but not for mom and I. Can you tell mom and I rode in the car while it was being towed and T with the truck driver. Well, my sister thought this was the funniest thing ever, and she proceeded to wet her pants in the cab of the truck!

Hopefully it was a long time before anyone had to sit in that seat!

A Great Deal

JC Penney's is having 75% off of their clearance merchandise. I had such a good time. This dress was $100.00 and I got it for $9.97. Actually I had a gift card and it cost me $1.52.

What a deal!! It was a size smaller than I thought I would need. Now I just need a good-looking man take me on a cruise and I am set. (I decided the background on my blog does nothing for the color of the dress. I actually tried to change my background and I am once again challenged)

Something Else I Really Hate

I am sure this has happened to all of us. You have a pair of earrings you really like and so you wear them all the time. I came home from shopping one day and discovered I had lost one of my earrings. So, I have no idea why I still have these earrings. Do I think the mate will suddenly appear? Should I give up? I am sure they will go back in the jewelry box and I will remember those happy days when I was wearing them.

She Is How Old??

Miss Sarah was our long-awaited and long-prayed-for baby. Most of our babies came fast and I almost thought I couldn't have any more children before I got pregnant with her. I remember Miss Shelley and Mr Seth saying "I thought we were having a baby in June". I guess she wanted to be an almost firecracker instead.

The doctor told me I was having a 6 lb baby and of course we didn't know she was going to be a girl. Well, let me say, 8 lb 10 oz is no six pound baby. The kids had been praying for a Baby Sarah for more than a year and I was a little worried (oh, ye of little faith). When Mr Dan went home and told the kids it really was Baby Sarah, Miss Shelley said "I know".

When she was finally ready to be born, the doctor, nurse, and Mr Dan were watching the Today Show. "Hello, I'm ready to have the baby". Suddenly they all jump up to get ready!! The nurse is saying "don't push, don't push". Crazy people!!!!!! Well, finally one push and she came into the world. I remember they took her hair and tied a ribbon in it.. She looked like an Indian baby.

She has grown up to be a beautiful woman, wife, and mother. She serves in the church, serves others, and is all you would want in a daughter. Our love to you on this special day.

Happy 16 years

Happy 16 years of marriage to Miss Shelley and Mr Darren. It is so hard to believe that it has been that long. We were so happy to have Mr Darren join our family. He is so-o-o-o nice and his family is wonderful.

It is always hot in Arizona in the summer and July 2nd was not any different. Miss Shelley you were a beautiful bride. I just wanted to say congratulations to the both of you. The girls are lucky to have you as parents.

For Miss Natalie

This post is for Miss Natalie. Miss Natalie is sooooooooooo nice and so very thoughtful. I won a gift card from her blog and I am sure I never said Thank You. I decided to let her know what I used the gift card for. I found two dresses I liked and I couldn't decide between the two of them and so I bought them both!! I wanted to look young and thin in the picture, but that didn't happen. I wore my new dress today and I got several compliments on it, so Thank You Miss Natalie. I love you.