HI all, well it has been awhile again but that is how it goes. School has started so back to work (but it was welcomed) and back to the routine. I think I might try to do a family christmas letter this year but still contemplating on that. I will be posting some back dated pictures in a few days and I have a couple of thimble pictures for eric too.
I can't say at this point that this year has been better than the last couple but a couple of very good things have happened. One Caleb's marriage to Kristi was super nice and got us not one but two trips across country and Second I got to meet my Jenny's husband too! Both super great things. On the down side Ian had to have knee surgery, and James had to have hand surgery and things keep breaking and kids keep griping. But such is life. I am looking forward to a wonderful holiday season though and do you wonder why? Well for the first time ever (I think?) I am 95% done with christmas shopping and it is only the 1st day of DEC! WHOO HOO!...I do have a few small things like stocking candies to get and I have to wrap and send 3 packages but the shopping part is practically done. I say this because I can't buy James a single thing until the last week because he seems to sniff out what you get and will go out and buy it the day after you do! BOO HOO! so I wait.
I hope all of you had a nice thanksgiving. One of these years I am going to get to watch the parade and do things like the other people living here and not be stuck in the kitchen too for most of the day. YEAH right like that will really happen. Maybe in another 10 years James and I can make reservations and go out to eat like my sister did this year.
It's late here and morning comes too early most days so too ta loo for now. PICTURES NEXT I PROMISE!

Bonnie

The cat came back the very next day, the cat came back...we thought she was a goner but the cat came back! She is now sunning herself on the front walk. Next time I will get the cat carrier.

Is it just me or what?

Ok, I have been looking at other people's blogs other people's facebook pictures, my space pictures just whatever I happen to see from my friends sites and well they all look like normal people. Now maybe you think this is a funny comment but it just seems that they all look right, as in their heads are the right shape, clothes look good, their expressions are normal etc...still a funny comment you think? well.....when I look at any pictures I am in I look like something the cat drugged in from outer space or something. My head is at an odd angle, I have what 32 chins it seems all the time and, my face says stupid lives here. OH I could just go on and on. I realized quite a few years back that I never felt like I had the right to feel anything. That other people did but for some reason I did not get that right too. Well I have been correcting my feelings over time (and it is a hard thing to do) and I have been trying hard but still have this hard issue with pictures. I know I am fluffy but I want to look like I at least have a few brain cells up there when it comes to smile time. I do have a couple pictures I have found I like but mostly they all come across as alien living here. Oh well...you know I have even tried posing in front of a mirror to know how my face goes so I can feel the good smile or intelligent look. BUT as of yet it isn't working. Rachel looks good, Jenny looks good and even Caleb has his style down already. Any suggestions?

Bonnies vet appt

Well we had a vet appt today or so I thought we would. Gaelan went out and picked up Bonnie from the front walkway and brought her in and we gathered everyone else up. Well he wouldn't go out and look in the garage for the cat carrier and being Gaelan just wanted to argue so I said fine just hold her then. So in the car we went. Cedric was going to drive. Gaelan let the cat down, Cedric had his door open, OUT WENT THE CAT!@ now she didn't just get out of the car and go back to the walkway she RAN OFF! Gaelan went after, Cedric went after. She laid down on the driveway of the mean Korean next door but as soon as either one of them came near she shot off again into his back yard. Tried to come over his fence on the other side but saw Gaelan and took off again. SOOOOOOOOOO had to cancel the vet appt. When we came home from our other errands there is still no Bonnie. Not sure if she will resurface but if she doesn't then it will be her loss. Silly cat. She knew we were taking her somewhere.

Pretty Jenny/Eric and little Thierry

Here are some pictures that I took of Jenny with hubby Eric at Caleb's wedding. Isn't she just lovely! And Well Eric looked handsome too. But my baby is so pretty!

More pictures

Oh I forgot to mention that Ian was Caleb's best man and that Chris and Jenny and Eric also flew in for the festivities. I was also able to meet Eric! This was very special for me. I love that Eric was able to join our family and attend the wedding. He is a very nice young man and I can see why Jenny adores him. Here are some more wedding pictures.

More pictures

Caleb's wedding

James and I, Gaelan,Rachel and Amandine and Thierry just got back from attending Caleb's wedding. We drove! It was a pretty good trip even with my ankles and feet swelling and my bottom going numb once! ha Thierry was good as were the rest. We stayed at the comfort suite in Rolla, Missouri both coming and going. It was a very nice hotel. It is a smoke free and green friendly hotel. Just in case anyone out there wants to stay somewhere like that. They had a full breakfast too plus a pool and hot tub and exercise area. I did not take advantage of the pool and such but James and everyone else did. The beds were comfy too!
We were also able to visit if only for a few hours really with Alex and Darci and the kids again. I love seeing the grandkids. They are always full of mischief and fun. They also came to the wedding along with our friends JJ and his wife Terri, and caleb's cousin (my niece) Amanda Ottley. I think Caleb's wedding was really nice and we all feel in love with Kristi and her son Tyler. Caleb and him get along really well and he actually kinda looks like caleb...well everyone says in the ears. I think some of that is because they both had shaved heads that showed off their ears. HA
So anyway here are some pictures from the wedding. We are promised a disk of pictures from the photographer in time so I am hopeing for a few more of the ones that I tried on, Rachel tried on that did not come out so great. ENJOY!

Going to Church in the branch

Today James and I, Gaelan and Ryan went attended the Detroit River Branch to see a friends daughter on her return from her mission and hear her talk. She went to Romania for her mission. Anyway the branch was a Spanish speaking branch so we got to wear the headphones and all. (just a side note) but I LOVED IT! One the building is nice and it has windows. Second it was smaller by a long shot than our ward (even with the lack of people when they all move out over the summer) but mainly because I enjoyed listening I think to the Spanish off and on (when my headphones were not on my head) trying to figure out what they were saying. I am happy to say that I actually understood about every 3rd word and could kinda make out to some degree what was being said (that is when they said simple sentences) I also felt comfortable even though I really did not know anyone. This may of been their excitement of having anyone new there? But anyway it was a nice Sunday. Just thought I would tell everyone.

One more thing

Today is James and my meeting anniversary! yes we met 37 years ago in squaw Valley California. Sorry but I have no pictures from that time frame and I do not have anything from today to show but it was this date. Tomorrow we are going to the ZooRomance night. IT is for adults only and should be very calming and enjoyable with out kids.
Maybe I will take my camera and see if I can get someone to snap a picture of the two of us?

Just some added extras

I realized after looking at my blog that I had forgotten to really put any pictures in of Peter or Paul I think. So here are what I shot. I did not get alot because like I said my camera kept acting up. I am hopeing to get a new camera before I go back.

Grandmother

My grandmother Ann Reel

I also went to Terre Haute

Took my mom to Terre Haute in June. Visited with my grandmother who is 97. I love my grandmother. I wish I could do more for her but we are too far away. I am also posting a picture of the house that we as a family lived in before we moved to California in 1964 and a couple others of my aunt and uncle Joyce and john Bailey and my mother. LOVE YOU ALL!

More Pictures

Here are more pictures of the trip.

Grandkids

Then we were off to Edmond and the grandkids! We had a nice visit there too. Thanks to Darci we ate well too. It was super hot there also and where we have had hotter thanks to years of living in California with only a swamp cooler we have now been living here in Michigan where it is far less hot (actually pretty cold year round) so we are not used to how the heat can drain you. James was busy doing honey do projects for alex and I went shopping with darci, checked emails and tried to help out with odd chores. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of our trip. We are going to be lucky enough to go back in august (if only for a couple of sleep over nights) so I will be sure to snap more pictures then and they will also be at calebs wedding so I will get more there too as I try to get as many photo shots as possible. I will also see if I can be in a few too but well you know, not being photogenic I try to avoid that as much as I can but I promise a few.

OOPS! I forgot these too.
The last picture is of a old miners cabin that was found up the stream there somewhere and a real still for making moon shine! The old miner is a stuffed copy of how the miner might of looked though! DUH! like you did not know. HA

More

Here are a few more pictures of the caves. My camera always seems to act up once I am somewhere but I did get a few. I hope you enjoy and if you are ever in Stanton MO you need to stop in and see the cave for yourself.

Back home again

HI ALL! well we are back from our visit to Oklahoma. IT went great! we stopped on our way there to see the meramec caves too. I loved the cave! It was wet and cool and other than a small area where I had to climb 58 steps it was really nice. We stayed at the motel there too. IT was like going back to the 60's maybe with that motel. With this I mean no frills. No iron, no hair dryer, no TV, just two beds and a toilet. Hey the tub was a mini size too! Just enough to wash a baby up in good. But it was cheap and clean and super close to the cave. We ate in the restaurant there for dinner the first night but opted out of breakfast for a later brunch. We had yogurts and string cheese and some rolls left and I felt that we should eat the stuff up.

Being Busy

Had a very busy saturday. Got up and got two loads of laundry done and on the line (with the help of cedric) picked up kitchen and stripped bed for later laundry. Then checked emails in getting ready for a luncheon out. We went to Bahama Breeze with Ian, Pua, Pua's mom and some friends and their kids. It was a nice luncheon and we got to see everyone finally once again. Then back home to pick up Ryan and take her to walmart for some much needed clothing. I go to walmart because this girl is one growing faster than the speed of light and two because she is a dirt magnet. I prefer clothes that I know will be somewhat cute and yet not ones that I have to be too worried about when the never ending stain returns or she doesn't fit it within a month. She was fine and good while we were looking for her things but the minute we were done she was tired and kept saying "I am bored, when can we go home?" SO you guessed it we had another hour of whinning in the store. Picked up some cards, and a graduation present because I lost the first one I got. Home again, home again jiggidy jig to see that the grad open house was in full swing. Now where did I read that it started at 5? Oh well luckily it was only two house away so I wrapped and signed the card, had some sushi first and then made my way down to the open house. Back home and started spaghetti dinner for the rest of the crew and called Paul (who had called me prior) he really wanted to talk to cedric but he did tell me that he couldn't float and I guess he had learned from his dad or mom that grandma is the world best floater. Well to put it very frank grandma does float just like a ball full of air. Maybe it is because of my fluffiness but I float all too well. Not sure if I can get Paul to float but I did give him some pointers. I can read it now...Rebecca Smith born.....died....floated her way to heaven! ha Heaven knows I can't stay in the under world cause I Float!!
After that I talked with Rachel some, had dinner and watched a new not seen before DR WHO! are they going to show more? OH I HOPE SO!! and they are going to have a torchwood mini series starting on july 20th for 5 whole days! I am geeked to say the least.
Last but no way near least is a bit of information. Caleb signed papers on his home and is now sleeping on an air mattress in the house until the arrival of his stuff on monday! CONGRATULATIONS CALEB! he is super happy. Went out and bought himself a refrigerator yesterday too. Don't forget the thousands of dollars now on getting all those $1.00 items. Broom, cleanning supplies, dust pan etc.. REMEMBER DOLLAR STORE!
Two more days and we will be on the road again too. Looking forward to getting away and doing something different.

Trips

Trips! sometimes they are wonderful and well sometimes they are less than. This past week I drove my mom down to see her mom (97) and where I love seeing people the contention there is not enjoyable. One of my aunts was in a hostile mood when we got to the house and continued in that mood for the rest of the time we visited the first day. My mother of course went into panic mode and ended up taking drugs from another sister that she thought would calm her down. Now personally I think a sugar pill would calm her down as I do not think a pill here or a pill there really does much and the type of anti anxiety pills that a person needs should be a daily dose but hey if she thinks a sisters Zoloft will do the job then have at it! I do not think that you should take other peoples drugs as you never know what your outcome. Anyway the next day she took a valium from her other sister and then on the last day they gave her a Xanax (sp) They gave her three more just in case but she never needed them as we were winding down and going home the next day. This on top of Naps! Did I say NAPS? oh my goodness...lets see wake up around 8 go back to bed, wake up around 10 and get up, go to lunch, get to grandmothers take a NAP...sleep from 2pm to 4:30pm then say HEY ready to go home and get to bed? HA Oh well..I do expect it to be the last time I drive her down as her hip hurt her alot from her hip surgery and she is just a nervous wreck. I experienced the chaos this time too so I do know that tempers flare, and nerves get frayed. It is a sad situation. Grandmother feels neglected, not listened too at all and put upon. Poor lady. I do feel for her but I feel for my aunts too as I know all too well what it is like to be the one that has to do for others. Now I do not do anything at all like my one aunt has been doing for 30 some odd years or the other aunt who really bears the brunt of the care when the first aunt is gone...really a few days each week to a week here or there. But I have had my taste. So I know that they too are stressed and feel put upon too I expect. I really wish that things could be different. That people would get along and be helpful. That the house could be clear of clutter for grandmother and that she could have a pleasant last few months, years or whatever in a nice home with loving children around her. OH WELL....life hands us lemons and she has done well in making what she can of them into lemonaide. I love my grandmother and she cried this time when I left. She said that she would see me in heaven and be there when I came in. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
I will see her in a week or two as we travel that direction again to visit our oldest and his family. I hope that she is still there even though she prays nightly to die.

Schools OUT!

Schools out, schools out! Teachers let the monkeys out....one went east. one went west...well you know the rest! ha
Yes gaelan and cedric are done. Both did good on grades without any D's this year. Not as good as I had hoped but no failed classes and average or above so I am happy. Gaelan will be in his last year of Middle school already this coming year. Boy does time fly when you are having fun! HA I just hope the next few years are not a struggle to get the work done with him as I sooooooooo want to do my happy dance in 5 years.
Worked on going through papers today, boxes and work stuff. Still have a few more things to do in that dept and need to decide on how I want to have access to my needed papers for next year. The box method with file folders was fine this year but as it got closer and closer to the end the box was just too full and it was hard to get papers out that I needed. I am thinking of the open tray approach and the box for a mixture of the two for next year. I also need to update and customize my temp logs better too I think. Anyway that is something I will think about come mid august. For now I want to sleep in for a few days and just approach work here at home on a more leisurely time schedule.
OH and for those of you out there that do not know....Caleb is engaged and looking at marriage on Dec 29th or 30th. I do not know which. Her name is Kristi DeUnger and he met her in their philosophy class in Las Vegas. A short time in San Antonio made him decide that she is the one and that now is the time. They will marry in Austin, Texas. She has a son, Tyler who is 4 now, 5 on Nov 5th. So instant Daddy too. I am happy as having another grandson is wonderful. We will take pictures and with any luck I too will find a dress or pant suit or something? Any suggestions?
Well trips coming up and at least one dress hunting trip on monday maybe if amandine gets well enough for me to come over.
Red wings on now....MW watching...this means tv occupied! UG! I don't mind but....SO back to dress hunting ideals on the web.

IT IS THE END!

ONE MORE DAY! yep last day of work is tomorrow! WHOO HOO! I am so ready to be able to lets see.....Sleep in.....Sleep IN....SLEEP IN! ha
Have so much to do around the house but just glad to do something different for awhile.
Trips to Terre Haute and Oklahoma coming up too...then maybe painting in the kitchen, back hall area and front bathroom this summer.
LAUNDRY OH my goodness LAUNDRY! 5 boys still here and boy do they pile up the laundry. Now the do help but with no girls living here but me things get messy fast. OH WELL not like I have not had this issue for years but where or where is my JENNY POOH!
I expect she is at home doing the laundry there too! ha
but anyway Summer has officaly started come 2pm tomorrow afternoon. GOODBYE KITCHEN for 12 weeks!

Prom

Ian ready for Prom with Pua

last few days

Hi, well I am down to 12 days left of work! I am trying to get the snacks to go...and check out all the other things that have to be cleaned or stored at the close of day on the 11th. Luckily the cleaning does not have to be super as the dust and all will come over the summer. So just wipeing things down and making sure there is no real icky spots I have missed. Although just between you guys and me my kitchen has no real ICKY spots ever!
I am looking forward to the summer. Sewing a bunch! I hope. Visiting with Alex and his family in July. I HOPE! and maybe getting more things done around this house. YES Cleaning a lot! and doing up some picture albums and did I Mention sewing?! HA
James and they boys have had a cough and sore throat now for about a week. Cedric is home today as is Gaelan. Both are doing better but Cedric is more down than Gaelan. Thierry has had a snotty nose for a good week too and so have the hardies in general. Ryan too keeps showing up with a snoot full of different colored snot! YUCK! but with any luck I have not yet showed up with anything. Maybe all the hot kitchen air pushing anything out of me? or maybe all the bleach I get to work in keeping my hands sanitized but whatever I am happy I have not showed up sick.
Chris's grandmother also died on May 18th and over the weekend I took mom and went to the graveside burial service. She had bypass surgery in Nov of 08 and then hip surgery just this past April so she was having a hard time healing I think. Chris's mom Dawn is down but Chris is doing ok. I sure hope that Dawn feels better soon. Her Dad died last year just after Thierry was born so she has had a hard full year plus.
I guess this is all for now. No new pictures but maybe some of our outings this summer.

James left to go to San Antonio to help Caleb find a home....which he did! I am so happy for him. Now the wait to see if the sellers will accept his offer. He found a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. 2 car garage. The kitchen is nice with counter space (something I would die for) and what I would call a huge walk in pantry off of it. The site did not show bedrooms but there were two pictures of the both baths and both baths have tubs too. James says a lot of scrubbing and some updates and he will have a very nice home. He is not far from work either and the church is also practically just around the corner. Now he may choose to go to the YSA ward still but even that building is not what I would call too far, although twice the distance. Caleb and James called and talked me through some of his other looks and then let me help them make the decision on the final two. It was almost like being there. Today they say they are going to see the Alamo and then off to the river walk. I hope both have a good sight seeing day and have a good flight home tomorrow. Ian leaves on may 6th to fly to Las Vegas to help Caleb move. Caleb hopes to close on his new home with a month. GOOD LUCK! now to plan the trip there to see his new baby.....hummm..
On my end I have spent so far two days cleanning my kitchen! Yes two days and I am still not close enough to done. I thought it was pretty clean but I was wrong. There was dirt behind the freezer stuck on the wall of all things, dirt up higher on the wall border too. UG! I got cedric though to scale the heights and clean for me. I then decided that he needed to stay up high and clear off the tops of the cabinets and clean. Then I scrubbed the cupboards inside and out. Pulled the drawers out and reorganized and cleaned them too. Scrubbed Refrigerator and Freezer...rearranged the other cupboards by the door too. And decided to toss about half my cookbooks. Well giving to Rachel and Jenny anyway. I use what I use anymore and haven't even looked into what I am opting to give away for years. Trying to put things that I do use where I can get them easily too. Like I said I would die for the kitchen I see online that Caleb is hopeing to get. I guess coveting is not a good quality here but after 9 kids and never ever having any real kitchen space seeing my 28 year old son (not married son) (no kids son) getting a workable kitchen well...grrrr... ha. No really I am happy for him but sometimes.....grrrr.
Anyway today I have to finish up with clearing the table of the extra things. I did go out and buy two ceramic jars to hold my spatulas and serving spoons. I was previously using these old tin can holders, not the best but all I had. I might have to go and get another one but I did manage to talk myself out of keeping several items I had two or more of. SO hopefully I will be done today and can get my floors done too.
It is so nice to clean and see the results for a day too. Now with any luck I will get to keep this cleaning bug for a few weeks so I can divide and conquer more of my house. The only real question is "Will I go into labor now?" Haven't had this strong of a desire to clean since my last water broke some 12 almost 13 years ago! I have had little to no real drive for housecleaning for years. IT sure hit me yesterday though. SO if nothing else the kitchen reaped the reward and I won't even have to set up the crib after! ha
I am on count down for work too. Now I love going to work 99% of the time but for some reason I just want to stay home right now and get things done around here. WHY?
Maybe my cleaning bug is stronger than I think? And my painting itch is creeping up on me too as once something has been cleaned I start dreaming of colors! OH NO!
I will keep you all posted.

More pictures

Here are more pictures from different angles, I have a small breezeway where there are two coolers for milk and juice and the the snack shelf. So hope you enjoy seeing me at work.