Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Memorial Day, 2007











I arrived back in Phoenix around noon yesterday after a fantastic two days on our farm. It was warm upon my arrival, surprise. :-) Andy greeted me with hashbrowns and scrambled eggs, although I doubt he made them especially for his mother-in-law.....but, they were very good anyway! In the afternoon we all got into their pool. Drew was really enjoying floating around with his mom and dad. I think he is liking that pool more and more. I haven't posted a picture of my grandson for almost a week and that is not right....so here are some from yesterday! Actually the first two pics are from today when my sister Sharon stopped by with Marge and Eileen (aka Thelma and Louise) for a visit. It was great to see them and had a very nice visit with them.

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Sunday, May 27, 2007






Sunday was a beautiful spring day in Iowa. It was sunny, very little breeze and around 75 degrees. It was so nice we decided to get in a game of golf. Friend and fellow retiree Cyndy came up from Ankeny to golf and spend the night with us. Jan and Clayton invited us over to Miller Pond for a fantastic dinner in the gazebo. It was a great day, as the pics hopefully show!

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Saturday in Iowa, May 26, 2007









Our Saturday on the farm was a good one. The weather was a bit overcast and rain sprinkled, but only in the morning. In the afternoon we drove around decorating family gravesites for Memorial Day. That evening Mark grilled huge T-bone steaks that were out of this world. My husband has certainly not lost his grilling touch. It was mainly just Mark and I for this day but we did get to visit with Kevin who came out on his Harley. I even jumped on for a short ride to Dan and Katie's and we had a nice visit with them and dog Tucker. Kevin wanted to take me for a longer rider on that awesome bike, but I must admit my nerves got the best of me and I declined. It looked to have a whole lot of power!!

Pics are from our Saturday at the cemetaries, shots from favorite photos in my home, etc.
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Back home








I made a quick visit home on Friday and flew back to Arizona yesterday. (Memorial Day) It was so great to be back home on the farm and see Mark, my flower beds and some very good friends. Mark and I had an awesome time and it would have been very hard to leave him yesterday but knowing he is coming out here to AZ Thursday for Drew's baptism made it MUCH easier! The pics are random shots from the farm and all the water surrounding it!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Hump day




























Happy Wednesday to all. My former co-workers at school have very few workdays left before summer break. I cannot believe an entire school year has transpired since my retirement. It seems just like yesterday I was laughing with my friends there or complaining about the administration. :-) My life is so completely removed from all that now that it seems unreal. I am loving this retirement business and loving caring for my grandson each day. I will love it completely when Mark gets here after farming is through for the year.














I fly back to Iowa Friday night for a quick week-end visit. I am really excited to see my hubby, my home and to see if my flowers came up or if the weeds took over in my absence! I have a feeling Mark would not let that happen, even though he is so busy farming in between rain storms!














The pics are random shots of a happy Drew. The last two are of him bouncing to Beethoven from a Baby Einstein DVD. :-) It is not hard to get smiling pictures of this little guy. He has a very good disposition as I said before. He still has that instant "feed me" or "put me down for a nap" mood, of course! Enjoy the rest of the week everyone.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Let's go for a swim





























Pictures are of Drew and parents in the pool . Drew was in the pool twice this week-end. I have a feeling he will be in the pool every week-end with his mommy and daddy. I may take him in myself during the week but it does involve a bit of a ritual.....sunscreen, trunks, swimshirt, swim hat and then a bath afterward to wash off the sunscreen and pool water. I may not be up to all that. :-) Sunscreen is a must down here as the sun is always out and always intense. Not many gloomy damp days like I recall in Iowa!
















I had my first "all night" babysitting stint yesterday. Megan and Andy attended Megan's firm's Spring Retreat at a resort in Scottsdale. He and I got along just great. To bed at 10 and up this morning at 8:15, the perfect little baby boy! He has been doing that for quite some time so they need to be very grateful about his sleep schedule.














Thursday, May 17, 2007

Happy Birthday to Drew's daddy!






















It is Andy's birthday today....his last year of being in his twenties. Next year the big 3-0....I barely remember turning 30 but do recall I didn't like the feeling much. :-) I was VERY aware of turning 40 and 50 because Mark threw me surprise birthday parties which were a lot of fun with great friends and relatives attending. I even have videos which I may be brave enough to look at again some day! Now I am at the point where I am glad to just get another birthday each year. :-)

Drew had a birthday two days ago.....4 months old and had another check-up and round of shots yesterday to celebrate (?) his milestone. I cannot believe how fast the time is going. In two months he will be a half year old. Seems just a few days ago we were teasing Megan about her increasing tummy.

The next few weeks will provide lots of excitement and travel. I fly home next Friday for a Memorial week-end visit to Mark and the farm. It has been 2 1/2 months since I have been home so am looking forward to seeing it and him! Two days after I return to Phoenix Mark flies out for Drew's baptism. Matt is one of the godfathers to Drew so he is coming out, also. I cannot wait for that week-end. Andy's brother Mitch and their dad is also coming, too. It should be good fun. I can see the pool getting a work-out in this heat!

Well, Drew is sleeping so I really should be getting some chores done while the little angel is snoozing. Later!

(Naturally, I had to toss in a few new pics of Drew)

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's (or Grandmother's) Day!






















Wishing all the Moms out there a very special day. I don't know what it was like by you, but it was very hot, very sunny here in Phoenix. We discussed what to do today and we all decided the best day we could have was to sit pool side right here. Drew took his very first swim in the pool today. I don't think he thought it was all that great, but he was also close to naptime which may have accounted for his not thinking it was as great as Andy, Megan and I. :-) All in all Megan and I had a great Mother's Day, her first and a few more than that for me! I had great phone conversations with Matt and Mark to top off my day. Pictures are from this past week.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Drew's 3 month photo


Pretty cute, huh? I know, every grandma thinks that!! Now I know how right those grannies are. :-)