Family Reunion week-end

What a blast! We had a fantastic time over the 4th. All of Jan's family came from MN except Jim, who had to work. All of Larry's family came except Chad and Jody, who had to work. All of Kevin's family came except Lee and Sarah, who had to work. Work can be a terrible thing. :-) Ha! Just glad to have a job in this economy, I am sure! We did miss them though. Sharon's family are all going to their new home in FL at the end of the month so they were unable to make it, too. But, the farm was filled to the brim with bouncing kids and happy adults so it was a very good time together!

Megan, Drew and Kayley arrived Wed. night. Andy had to work! I was SO excited to see them! I cannot tell anyone how much I had missed them! Thursday Jan and Matt made it to the farm. That evening we had Jan and Clayton for grilled chops and had a really nice time visiting with them. One of my favorite couples!

Friday was arrival time for everyone else. Ron, Meghan, Gabe and Garrett were first to get here. Melissa was in Europe with her mother. They were followed by Britt, Tom, Hayley, Olivia and Carley. Next came Marla with her children Kallie and Liam. Liam is two and it was the very first time I had met him. Sweet kids! Last to arrive were Stan, Heather, Micah and Mataya.

Friday night we lit a big bonfire and had hot dogs and the day was spent at the golf course by several of the adults. That night Kevin and Julie came for the fire, along with his daughter Katie. Husband Dan had a bug and was very ill and couldn't come down. John and Amanda and their new puppy Angus stopped out, also. It was a very fun evening.





Saturday saw lots of action with water. Stan and Heather brought a pool and Britt had a water slide matt and the kids loved it all. More golf by some of the men, too. It was a hot and steamy day so the water felt good. That evening we grilled hamburgers and Kevin, Julie and Katie came again. Still no Dan, very bad virus had the best of him. Poor guy.

I will add more to this post as I get videos done so keep checking back. :-) I have the first video done. This one had Drew becoming very wet and dirty!

I am pooped!

Well, after a week on the farm I am needing a vacation! :-) Spent four straight days working in the flower beds and landscaping. The winter was very hard on everything. Then I spent two days cleaning this entire house. I had forgotten just how BIG this place is but you notice it when trying to clean it! Tomorrow I will spend the day mowing and then later in the evening Megan, Drew and Kayley arrive. I am so excited to get those kids on this farm. Pictures and videos will be everywhere during their visit. They are staying until Monday. Can't wait!

Thursday sister Jan arrives and Matt is coming that evening. On Friday Jan's children and grandchildren will all be arriving at the farm for a reunion. Hopefully Larry and family will be coming over the week-end so the only ones missing will be the Swensen's. Mark and I are going to have a full house over the 4th but we are certainly looking forward to seeing them. Two of the children we have never met yet!

As I said, pics and videos will be coming as soon as the families start arriving. Have a great 4th everyone!

We made it!

Andy, Drew and Kayley arrived safely in Peoria Saturday night and I made it back to the Iowa farm around the same time. We left on the 16th and spent the first night in Santa Fe. Thursday we drove to Brush, CO to spend the night. Brush is not a town that I will likely ever visit again in my life time. :-) It had a very nice hotel, though. Friday morning we made our way to Omaha. They stayed at Uncle Mitch's home and I stayed at Matt's. Matt and I took Drew and Kayley to Dave and Buster's for dinner and some game playing. They had a good time and then we took them back to Mitch's place. They played in his big yard until dusk, which I had forgotten is so much later than AZ night time! They left Sat. morning for Peoria and I stayed at Matt's to help him do some landscaping. I left at 4:30 to head to the farm. It was so good to see Matt and so good to be back with grandpa. I am missing the kids something fierce, though. Today was their first day of daycare...I hope it isn't traumatic for them. They will love it, though. They need to be with other kids now, no matter how much granny misses them!

My good friend Sue should become a grandma today. Karen is in labor and I cannot wait to hear if it is a boy or a girl! I pray all goes well.

Here are two videos. The first is Drew and Kayley's last time in their AZ pool. The second is our night in Omaha.

Birthday week-end with Mom

Megan flew to town Friday afternoon and the kids were quite excited about that. Drew was certain that every plane that flew above us that morning was mommy's plane! The kids and I picked her up at the airport. That evening we went to Fatso's to celebrate Kayley's belated birthday and then back home for gift opening and birthday cake.

Yesterday we met Lisa, Nick, Dan and Taylor at Peter Piper Pizza. It was so great to see them one last time before we leave. I will see them again next fall and winter but Megan and the kids won't be seeing them very often now so it was good we all made the effort to get together!

During her short week-end stay Megan is trying to help Andy pack things that they will need in Peoria. Their stuff on the trucks will be unavailable for a couple of months so it is important that they gather the items they need for the short term.

Megan flies back to Peoria this afternoon but it won't be such a hard separation this time. Andy and the kids and Sox and I begin our driving trip this Wednesday and they will be in Peoria with her by next Saturday. I am staying in Omaha an extra day before heading to the farm to help Matt do some landscaping on his new home.

A video of Kayley's birthday party and pics from Peter Piper.

My birthday wish for Kayley

Kayley turns two years old on Wednesday! She has come a long way since her birth as a preemie and spending her first three months of life in the NICU. (For a video of her NICU adventure on her first birthday, click here). We love you very much, Kayley. Here is my birthday wish for you as you make your way through this life:

Happy Birthday Mark!!!

Wishing you a grand day and I am so happy that Megan is there to help you enjoy your day! I would have hated the thought of you spending your birthday alone.

I have a busy Saturday planned. I take my car in at 11:00 to get the tinting removed from the front side windows. They are not legal in Iowa and Matt told me the fine was $80+ for that, so figured I better spend $20 to get it removed! I am also going to start packing for the return to Iowa. I cannot take a lot as my Camry has a very small trunk thanks to the hybrid batteries installed. But, I must fit my golf clubs in at the very least. :-)

I also have one landscaping water line I need to dig up and fix. I need to get that done this morning before it hits 100 degrees.

Mark, here is 45 seconds of the grand kids and Sox getting wet again in your honor. :-)

Goodbye Arizona

It is getting closer to the time to leave Phoenix. Andy has his offer, two week notice given, movers contacted and we will be on our way. It almost seems surreal. I know Megan is one happy gal that her husband and children will soon be joining her in Peoria, Illinois! It has been a long separation for them so this is all a welcome event. It is beginning to get hot here so the timing is appropriate! Now we can all head to the midwest humidity...and eventual snow! :-) The only good thing about this is knowing that I will be heading out of there and back to Phoenix before that white stuff accumulates next winter and Mark and I can golf!

Kayley looked cute today (well, grandma thinks so anyway) while she was practicing "jumping" and sweeping the patio. Drew was in watching a train show...go figure! :-)

Back in the desert: hot but no humidity!

Finally arrived back in Phoenix last night around 5 P.M. It was another LONG day waiting in airports and on planes. I woke to my phone beeping Monday morning with a message from American Airlines saying that my flight had been canceled and they were putting me on another route, this one through Chicago.

Weather in Chicago delayed that plane from taking off for Des Moines so I sat in the DM airport for 2 extra hours waiting for it. We finally left after 1:00 which had me very worried since my connecting flight in Chicago heading for Phoenix was to start boarding at 12:40! I obviously was not making that flight!

Well, thanks to all the weather, that plane was still waiting to take off in Chicago so I ran to the gate and was able to catch it. I have come to the conclusion that I really, truly hate flying.

Then to make matters worse, I had originally checked through security in DM with flying colors but then realized I had left my cell phone in the restroom down below. Had to go back out of the secured area and dash down to pray my phone was still there (it was) then I headed through security again. Well, I obviously was red flag terrorist suspicion for going through security twice so my bags were looked at and I was pulled out of line for the more thorough once over in their little TSA waiting area. I should have left the damned phone in the john! Anyway, I made it back...

I had a great time in Iowa with Mark and the weather was just beautiful. Spent many hours outdoors in the flower beds and mowing. Sunday evening Dan and Katie invited us up for some of Dan's smoked beef brisket and pork sandwiches. It was all delicious. All the kids were there, Kevin and Julie, Grandpa Earl and Dan's dad Don and his wife. It was a fun time and I was so glad to see Katie, John, Lee and Sarah!

I was also very happy to see Drew and Kayley this morning! They didn't get up very early as they had a long day at the airport, too. The family had a Thiel reunion in San Antonio so they were pooped this morning! We have had a good time today and I think they were glad to be home to their "stuff". :-)

This is a clip of video that I actually shot last week but never got it online. Also some pictures of the kids and of my week-end in Iowa. I apologize for the blurry pics of John and Lee...not sure what setting I had the camera on for those!

Forgotten connection....

I arrived in Iowa on Wednesday and will fly back on Memorial Day. I forgot the cable that goes to the computer so cannot upload any video or digital pictures. Dang! I thought I had one here on the farm but am not locating it at the moment!

Mark finished planting beans yesterday morning so we celebrated having another crop in the ground. Now, we wait to see what the summer brings. Hopefully, timely rains and NO hail. :-) I know, that is asking a lot of Iowa's weather...

I have been outdoors constantly since arriving. Digging in all the flower beds, transplanting stuff, filling pots with flowers, etc. I have been loving it! Today I am going to mow. I suppose I should spend tomorrow cleaning the house. :-(

I still don't know exactly when I will be driving back to the farm for the summer but it is looking much closer now. My best guess is 3 weeks but that is only a guess! I have a good friend that has a retirement party on June 17th but don't know if I will make it. If I don't, Sue, know I am there in spirit!

Well, time to go spray round-up before the inevitable winds pick up. Enjoy your week-end and don't forget to put some flowers out in remembrance...

This should make you pucker up!

Mommy needs another kid fix

Kayley:


Drew and Sox:

Need new material

I need to take the kids to the zoo or something...nothing new to capture lately! Oh well, Drew and Kayley's mom will watch it! Megan arrives tomorrow night so I can give the kids a rest from always being on film. :-)

Here you go Megan!

Another video for you from today. In case you are lonesome for some Drew conversation, he talks plenty in this one! :-) BTW, it is just gorgeous here. We were on a walk and park outing from 10:00 until noon today and it was just perfect. Hope Peoria's weather is straightening out a bit for you!

More videos for Mommy

Megan is flying to Phoenix again this week-end but I know she could use some videos of her kids to tide her over until this Friday. I am certain her Mother's Day was a little on the lonely side (understatement of the year) so we are glad that she is going to come here this week-end!

Andy and my grandchildren took me to a MLB game on Mother's Day. The Diamondbacks played the Brewers. We left during the 8th inning so I am assuming the Brewers won as they were ahead at that time. Both Andy and I were shocked Drew and Kayley made it that long. Andy said he was figuring the 3rd or 4th inning. They just entertained themselves marvelously.

It has been so nice here and I know that my family and friends in Iowa DO NOT want to hear that! Mark is just happy he didn't have any beans up when the frost and freeze hit a few days ago. It better snap out of it quickly because I am flying back there for 5 days over Memorial week-end and I will not like it too cold. :-)

Megan, here are a couple of videos...

Getting wet:




How we spent today:

Trip to the mall

Another week is almost over. It went rather quickly! Megan flew to D.C. this morning and will be there until Saturday evening. I wish I were with her...just love Washington, D.C. I must take my history buff husband there some summer. He would be in heaven visiting all the memorials and museums.

It is just now starting to get warm in AZ. 95 or so today. Andy is happy with the weather as he plans on a pool side week-end with his kids. Not sure what his pool temp is registering these days but it has to be getting close to "jumping in" time!

I took Drew and Kayley to the mall today so they could play in the kid's area. I thought it would have a bit more stuff to do but Kayley had a blast. Drew was a little beyond the play stuff but he was good with Kayley. In the video below, if you listen carefully, Drew tells me "I am helping Kayley, grandma, she's not coordinated". Oh boy, he has heard that from his mom, dad and granny along the way! Kayley is doing great and we haven't said that for quite awhile but Drew has a very long memory.... :-) After the mall we stopped for some items at Target. We rolled by a Miller Lite display and loudly Kayley proclaimed "BEER, BEER, BEER"!! Ummm, that would be her father, not granny. Of course, we didn't go by any wine displays....thank goodness!!! Have a great week-end everybody.

Train park

I took Drew and Kayley to the train park this morning. I wasn't sure I should do this by myself but we managed to have a great time. They loved riding the train, of course. They also loved the wonderful playground equipment but that is where I could have used a helping hand. Kayley is too brave for her coordination and she kept grandma on her toes trying to make sure she didn't nose dive off of a ledge! They did NOT want to leave when granny got tired but I convinced them with a promise of pizza at Costco. They love doing that as much as MacDonalds! They are now sleeping soundly this afternoon. They are such sweet little angels when they are doing that. :-)

Megan flew back here this past week-end and I know that was a happy reunion for mother and children. Always so very hard for her to return to Peoria but it really is getting closer to a time when they will all be together again for good. That will be a welcome day for their family!

Here is a video from today:

Mommy comes tomorrow! Yay!

I know Drew and Kayley are looking forward to their mommy flying in tomorrow night. I would venture to say mommy feels the same way. A couple of videos to get her through her Friday before the flight.


In this video Drew practices talking to mommy on the phone...

Monday, Monday

Another Monday rolls around. I had a busy week-end. Started my Saturday with a 5 mile hike to Shaw Butte. I have not hiked for nearly four months so it felt really good to do this BUT my thighs are really talking to me today! It probably didn't help that after hiking I spent the entire day on my knees putting a colored sealant on my grout. Now my knees are doing more than talking. They were even a little swollen. Maybe that is why Home Depot sells those knee pad things...wish I had bought some! Our tile looks 100% better, though, so I am glad I went through the pain of it all. :-)

Sunday morning I went over to watch the kids for Andy so he could get some stuff done. I think he accomplished a lot...dug weeds, trimmed the palm trees and cleaned the pool filters. Stuff that needed to be done before they move. We still don't know when that move will be, though. Hopefully before it hits 115 degrees here in the desert!

Megan, here is another video of your children. I am sure you are excited to be flying back to AZ this week-end to see them! They will be excited, too!



Before and after pictures of my grout:

Seems like only Tuesday

Andy and the kids flew to Peoria this week-end and didn't return until Monday afternoon so with all my days off I feel like today is only Tuesday instead of Wednesday! It sounds like they had a great time visiting mom and I know mom was so very glad to have her husband and children with her for three whole days!

I had big plans for my downtime but didn't get around to nearly as much as I had hoped to accomplish. I was in a bit of a funk thinking about my nieces and nephews who lost their mother to cancer. Shari's funeral was yesterday. Mark and Matt were pall bearers and my sister Jan and husband Don drove down for it, as did their daughter Britt and granddaughter Hayley. I wish I could have been there, too, but it just didn't work out for me.

I couldn't believe how much I missed Drew and Kayley and it was only 3 1/2 days! What am I going to be like this summer when I only will see them sporadically?!?!?! Yikes! That will definitely take some adjustment for old grandma.

Dayton and Phoenix have the exact same temperature right now...that explains why I wore a coat outside all day!!! Both are 64 degrees.

A Video for mom. The rest of you might find it boring... :-)

My heart is sad...

My nieces and nephews lost their beautiful mother today. Shari had a courageous battle with cancer and now she is at peace. My heart goes out to John, Katie, Lee and Sarah. Please know how much I am thinking of you all on this day. Love and hugs, Marla

Hi Mom!

Drew and Kayley wanted to say hi to their mommy. The video is not very good...too much moving around by the camera lady in the hopes of Kayley not falling off the play equipment at the park! But, mom should like it anyway.

I also posted some pics of our new purchase in Arizona. All we have left to do is the landscaping and inside decorating, window treatments, etc. That will be for next fall!

I hear the midwest was 80 degrees yesterday. That was warmer than here I think! Time to get the fields planted I guess!

A new home

Mark and I purchased a home in Phoenix. We have been working non-stop on it, fixing minor things and painting all the rooms, etc. The biggest job has been getting the water lines located and repaired for the landscaping we hope to do next fall. We love the home, the location and the back yard. We are looking forward to spending many winters together in it. I will have pictures soon! The only thing that would make it better was if Megan and her family were still living here. But, she is already in Peoria and the hubby and children and granny nanny will follow soon. They cannot get Drew and Kayley into daycare there until June 7th so I am going to care for them until that time, then head to the farm for the summer and fall.

Megan flew home last Friday to spend Easter week-end with her family. It was a short visit but a nice one! Went out to dinner Saturday night then watched the kids hunt easter eggs in the yard Sunday morning.

Great fun at the Phoenix Zoo

Drew, Kayley and I met my sister Sharon and her granddaughters Kadin and Gracie at the zoo this morning. It was absolutely perfect weather for a trip to see the animals and they had a very good time and behaved very well for grandma! (The kids, not the animals, but they were well behaved, too!) :-) Drew did manage to sneak his frog in there. He is very good at that when I am not paying attention! We were all pooped out upon our return and they are napping soundly right now!

Another video for the Peoria mommy

Megan informed me that the shirt I put on Kayley today was a Halloween holiday shirt. I thought it was just a cute shirt with two kitties on it. :-) I tried to change her and she had a fit. She LIKES this top! We are all thinking of you and missing you, Megan!

Video for mommy

Megan left yesterday morning to drive to Peoria, IL so we made a little video for her from Drew and Kayley. I like the part where Kayley says "I love you"...reminds me of the Bud Light commercial where the guy has trouble saying those words to his girlfriend. :-)

The week flew by!

Another week has come and gone. Quickly. March is so nice here that I hate to see it come to an end. Hopefully April will be as nice with temps not warming too rapidly. One can hope anyway!

I hear Iowa had snow again, the following day after they hit 65 degrees. That would be so depressing but at least it shouldn't stay on the ground too long. I have a feeling Mark is going to have to "mud in" his crops this spring. It will take a long time to dry out these fields with all the snow cover.

Below, two videos. One of the kids bowling with their grandpa's and the other showing how loving Drew and Kayley are to one another. (It was a one time thing, for sure!) :-)

Finally some sun!

Enough with the cool temps and rain. I am certain AZ has had record rainfall this year and it is only three months old! It makes for a beautiful and green desert but there will be lots of worries of grass fires when the heat kicks up to full throttle in late spring. I don't ever recall this many days of rain. Unfortunately, I think it is all moving towards Iowa and they need no rain for quite awhile! What a weather year...

Andy's dad arrived Wednesday night to spend a week with them. I am certain he is glad to be in the warm sunshine. He looks like he will be going back to Iowa with a pretty good tan!

Mark has been keeping busy with many projects so haven't seen much of him during the day this past week. Drew and Kayley keep me very busy so the days are flying by quickly for both of us. Mark is planning to head back to Iowa the second week of April unless the weather makes planting season late this year. There is a lot of "drying out" that needs to be done before anyone hits the fields this spring. I will stay out here the rest of April and look to see what the weather is like before I head back. I cannot see giving up all this sunshine for a muddy farm. I will wait to see when it dries out and the temps are starting to turn up several(like 70's!!) notches before I leave. :-)

Enjoy your Sunday!