Tuesday, October 1, 2013

catching up

This summer:
I made this sweet quilt for my lovely niece & nephews daughter Clair.


I LOVE IT & I Love her.

I babysat my grandsons- not a lot but I got to more than I would have if they didn't live in Utah now!!
WOOT WOOT- for now
ALL OF MY SWEET GRANDSONS LIVE WITHIN ONE HOUR AWAY!


We went to the "blue park" 




Joey likes to 
pretend he is dead...



Especially when he doesn't want to be bothered...
or leave the park.
This just cracks me up- 






It's been a hard, emotional year for us here at our house.
As you know Chloe's anxiety, depression, Tourette syndrome, etc.
Got really bad- She is doing much, much better.
It's been a long road.
It's feeling like I can breathe again.
I don't cry as much.
It's nice.

I am hoping to get caught up here & I will share more later.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

backyard remodel

I mentioned several posts back that our deck was worn out completely!
Yes- it was all worn out & rotted.


 It's a total bummer and an expensive fix.


We called our dear neighbor who is a contractor & he gave us a bid to build a 2 new sets of stairs & pour a patio. We didn't want to rebuild because our family is getting much larger & the deck could hardly hold us now!
As Brett was tearing away the rotten deck, he started to see just what was underneath- HUGE ROOTS. HUGE MASSIVE roots - it looked like Jumanji! was growing under the deck.He couldn't even budge these left over studs because roots are growing all around them, anchoring them down.
A hard reality came to us when we realized that the tree- it had to go. 
11 years ago when we bought this house we had some landscapers come out & they recommended we dig out 3 half dead trees out of the front yard (we did that) and... they recommended that we did out this one too. It was over grown then & ruining the rest of the yard, plus grown on top of the house etc. 
But.. I love this tree. 
So we kept it.
Until today- When it finally had to go.














 






View from the upstairs, back bedroom.







Just like that- 3 hours later
it's gone.
Dang 


To be completely honest it's not as bad as I thought it would be.
I can see now that the new patio & stairs will be beautiful. We will have a much bigger & better space in the back yard. We are planning some new digs for our birdie friends too. 
I can't bear to think of a winter without our downy woodpecker & his wife.... 
or the pretty little gold finches. We absolutely love our chickadees too.
-Sigh-


Well- now that the painful part is over-
let's hope the building starts soon!?


Monday, July 29, 2013

the week before last- just some summer journal writing

The week before last
Brett's parents came for a couple days to visit.
I was a little nervous....


My sweet mother in law has Alzheimer's.
It's a cruel, cruel disease.
It's starting to run it's course & she is now forgetting people who she loves & it is heartbreaking.
But- she remembered us all- for now & it was a great visit.


 (like father, like son)

Sunday we went down to Utah Valley to attend church with Chloe & then headed out to Megan's new home to see them. It was so fun & so nice to be together. 



Super Jack & Super Charlie- like to show their muscles.


Trent & the boys played this game - 
Trent threw a ball up the stairs & Joey would throw it back down & Nana was worried Joey would fall down the stairs I she was a wreck.


Jack visits Chloe twice a week & they like to play cards.
They showed us the game they play- it is fast moving & fun to watch! 


Megan made cinnamon rolls & they were SO GOOD!




Joey had one just his size. 
He is so cute I just want to scoop him up.


Brian, Laura & the twins went with Laura's family to a reunion & sent home these pictures.
They crack me up!



Summer is going too fast at our house!