Baby, it's cold outside

I am scared to look out at my flowers and tomatoes this morning. It got dangerously close to freezing here overnight and I think I am going to regret not covering those plants. There are usually one to two nights per winter here that it gets close to freezing and I am afraid one of them happened last night. Darn my laziness!!

We had a good week here. Beautiful days, cool evenings. We can take a walk any time of the day now so we can be more flexible with that schedule. Kayley and Drew just love to be outdoors so if boredom sets in or they are getting antsy we simply head outside and they are content for a long time.

I was finally able to get the H1N1 vaccine yesterday. I was the only one in there to receive it so in and out in a matter of minutes. Much different than the long lines I see on TV news! Thank goodness...

Drew's mom is not going to be too happy with the following video. :-) It started out accidently and then we got carried away with the fun of "feeding" Sox.

Getting lazy (revised video)

I have a lot of videos and pics backing up on my camera. Need to get moving on those! I did find time tonight to put some photos into black and white...

Spring training....

Won't be long and the baseball teams return to the Valley. Time to practice.

Today I am thankful

My brother Larry and his family invited Mark and Matt to Thanksgiving Dinner in Rockwell City today. I am so thrilled they will not be feasting alone on the farm!! I love the farm, but it would be lonesome with just the two of them on this holiday. To make it even better, Larry is serving prime rib...why does that sound so much tastier than the turkey I am roasting?!?!!? I may have to alter my meal planning next year and pardon a turkey...

Here is some Thanksgiving week-end trivia. The Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers. hmmmm......I don't know if people are pouring drippings down the kitchen sink or if their "Uncle Buck" and his family are spending an inordinate amount of time in the bathrooms. Either way, I say keep the plunger handy! Also, I am hoping after reading this article I will not pig out today like usual! Globesity!!

Have a fantastic day!

Happy Thanksgiving

This is a short week for all you working people. I know that makes everyone very happy! I hope you have a wonderful holiday week-end with your family/friends. I had looked into flying back home over Thanksgiving but the fares were more than I wanted to pay! I figured I would save all that money since Mark will be driving out here in two weeks anyway. It would have been wonderful to see Matt, though. :-( Hopefully we can get him down to Phoenix again this year for Christmas.

I had a bunch of still pictures sitting on my camera so decided to put them to a little music:

Making a mess

All week long Drew was really in to making messes and piles. Not sure what was going on there! He piled everything he owned outdoors into a big heap...emptied his toy box and piled it all in the middle of the family room. Then Friday he went to his Thomas the train table and did the same thing! (See video below.) I will say he enjoyed doing it! Kayley just watched...and hopefully didn't learn. :-)

It has been super nice here all week long. I went hiking yesterday with four gals into a beautiful section of the McDowell mountains. Very secluded and gorgeous. We managed to get a bit lost and came out of the trail with our cars no where in sight. Seems we were about 1/2 mile south. We usually do NOT do that! The trails really meander there and it would be easy to become lost, so we did! Glad I wasn't alone!

Last night I went out to eat with Megan and family. Always nice not to cook! Well, don't know a thing so I will wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Cranky the crane

Any time Drew sees a crane from afar he calls it Cranky, from the Thomas the train stories. Yesterday I took him over to the town house where I live to show him one up close and personal. Megan and Andy decided it was time to put a new AC unit in the town house and that is what they use out here to install them...a crane! He enjoyed watching that ordeal!

Family night with Al and Peg Bundy!

Sorry for that title Megan and Andy! Every time I think of family bowling I think of "Married with Children". :-) ( Does anyone recall that sitcom???) The Thiel's were taking the kids bowling last night and I rode along. Drew had so much fun bowling and Kayley just had fun being there.

No rattlers or mt. lions on my hike today BUT

we did run into this big furry tarantula! Now, I know they are not "bad" spiders but after getting bitten twice by a brown recluse spider I do have some reservations about arachnids, especially when they are as BIG AS MY FIST! He was scurrying along in front of me on the trail and I do think I freaked a bit. The other ladies, long Arizonians, just laughed at me. Ha ha ha.... :-)
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Harvest is a "go" in Iowa!

Mark is steadily getting his corn harvested. My Iowa friends on Facebook have been talking about the great weather, wearing shorts and enjoying the sunshine. Mark says he's just thankful to be in the fields! I am happy for everyone there but especially glad that Mark is getting the corn out. The grand kids and grandma want that grandpa to get down to Phoenix as soon as possible! The weather is nice and we need to golf! :-)

Saturday I hiked with my new friends (actually Sharon's AZ friends who have let me join them after her move to Florida.) We did Pinnacle Peak which is a very popular trail on the week-ends but a good one to start for our first hike. We will hike as a group every Saturday until these gals head to cooler temps come spring. We see some beautiful Arizona countryside on these hikes and I am absolutely in heaven doing the trails!

I cannot believe it is almost Thanksgiving. I am not sure if it is the weather here or the fact that I hardly know what day of the week it is, let alone what month. It just doesn't seem like we should be having turkey and dressing once again! It is even harder to get into the Christmas spirit here. Jingle bells in the desert doesn't have that same....jingle! I wonder if I will EVER spend another white Christmas in Iowa? Sounds sad, but it isn't...because I won't. I just can't take the cold anymore! :-)

Andy had a tree die but he knew it probably would. It was originally planted by the landscapers too close to the pool and Andy didn't like the shade that it was providing and not allowing the water to warm up fast enough in the spring and fall. He tried transplanting it but it didn't quite make it. Drew became fixated on its "carcass" the past few days:

How to stay cool

Mark finally started combining corn yesterday. It is still very wet and he is driving through water is places but it is definitely time to get it out of the field. Here is wishing Iowans many days of sunshine ahead!

Kayley found the perfect way to stay cool while playing outdoors yesterday.

Hate to say it, but it is hot today!

After some really cool (cold!) temps last week, the thermometer is on the rise again. Supposed to be in the 90's all week, above normal for November. I do prefer this to those days we were in the 60's. Too hard to get Drew to put on jeans and a long sleeved shirt! :-)

Mark said the sun is finally shining in Iowa. The corn is still terribly wet but the guys are going to have to start combining eventually or they will have the worry of snow next. Such a year...

We spent the majority of yesterday outdoors. The video shows what we do outside. Have a great week everyone!

Happy Halloween

I had two visitors last night for Trick or Treat. One was dressed as a black cat and one was dressed as a normal toddler. Drew had a cute Thomas the Tank Engine costume to wear but he thought a white t-shirt and jeans were more comfortable for the occasion! Maybe next year! Grandma still gave him treats anyway. At least for pictures dad Andy donned the Thomas outfit so it didn't go completely to waste! :-)

Andy and Megan have season tickets to the AZ Cardinals games so I am going to watch the kids while they tailgate and cheer the team to victory. It looks like a nice day so we will probably spend a good portion of it outside enjoying the temps.

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween.

One week later

Another week passed by so quickly that I haven't had time to update! Everything is good here. The weather is cooling down nicely into the 80's and it makes outdoor time possible all day long for the kids. That is good because they dearly love to be outside getting as dirty as possible. Today a front of some sort is moving through the valley and the high is only going to be 61. Brrr!!! No shorts today! Hope it moves out quickly and gets back to the 80's. :-)

Mark has had even more rain to complicate his harvest schedule. At least the beans are out. Sister Jan told me farmers near them in MN still have beans in the field and that they are beginning to swell and rot. How horrible for those people!

Monday night we met my nephew Erik and niece Lisa and her son Taylor for dinner at Peter Piper Pizza. It was great to see them and Drew and Kayley had fun. It is much nicer than Chuck E. Cheese and the pizza was actually good! We might have to haul grandpa to this place when he arrives.

Megan and I hiked Saturday morning and then they all came to my place to watch the very thrilling Iowa Hawkeye game against Michigan State. What a game! We were so very happy and were jumping and shouting at the last touch down and scared poor Kayley!

This week-end is Halloween so need to buy some candy. Last year the only one that stopped at my place was Drew, so I don't need to buy a lot of treats! Drew is supposed to go as Thomas the tank engine but he is balking at putting on the outfit. It is so cute so I hope he puts it on that night. I may, or may NOT, have pictures of him in it next week. :-)

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Lovely weather we are having. I just really love October in the desert. Very comfortable days, cooling down a bit in the evenings. The kids and I can take our walks later in the morning if we want but we pretty much always get going by 8:30 a.m. I almost wished I had put socks on Kayley this morning as it was breezy, but once we started walking in the sun all was well.

I am hoping Iowa is receiving great weather, too, so Mark can get back into the fields and harvest but the weather forecast talks more rain. Good grief! That poor state is having atrocious weather. :-(

A short video of the kids:

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone....

AND there ain't no sunshine when she's here! I have been back in Iowa since Wednesday night and have yet to see the sun. I had forgotten how gloomy it can be in the midwest. Oh well, I didn't come here for the weather! Mark and I have been enjoying the days. Good food, lots of laughs and just happy to be together.

I had my teeth checked, my eyes checked and lunch yesterday with Katie and Shari in Webster City. Went to a sports bra (private joke) for lunch and had a great time with two great gals.

Today we watched our Hawkeyes defeat Wisconsin with brother Kevin and that was awesome, too.

Mark and I have grilled every night and it was wonderful. We both decided that the next week will consist of a lot less meat, though! :-)

I fly back to Phoenix tomorrow afternoon. Wonder how the grand kids are doing? :-)

Since it was so gloomy here I will post a couple of pics of Drew and Kayley. Looks like Drew is in need of a little desk, don't you agree?


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Walk, walk, walk!

This week has seen Kayley really take off walking. Not always graceful but getting better each day and she can squat and stand back up and fall down and get back up on her own. Yes, she is going everywhere...FAST! I am getting lots of exercise this week. :-)

Megan and I are going to hike this morning. I am looking forward to that. Ever since Sharon moved to FL I have been hiking alone which is okay but hiking with Megan will be much better!

When we return I am going to help Andy paint their bedroom and bathroom. I love to paint so that is not a chore to me. We will follow that job up with pizza and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes take on Michigan. Go Hawks!

I'm baaack...

I have been so busy flying around the country and babysitting that I haven't had time to post for almost a week. That is unusual for me!

Friday night I took a 7 PM flight out of Phoenix to DM. Due to the time change, didn't arrive there until almost midnight. By the time we drove to the farm it was past 1 AM and didn't get to bed until after 2. Now, that is WELL past grandpa and grandma's bedtime let me tell you! But, I was glad to be on the farm with Mark, regardless the time of arrival.

Saturday morning I got up and went for a jog....in ear muffs, gloves and a warm coat! That is the most clothes I have had on in months. :-) Actually, it felt very invigorating and the air was so clean and crisp. We made BLT's for lunch with Mark's home grown tomatoes....delicious. Then it was time for bloody mary's and a fire and the Hawkeye's playing FB. We had a great day together then grilled t-bone steaks for dinner. Delicious meal once again! Sunday we lounged around until it was time to head back to DM for my 2:50 PM flight. That departure time kept getting delayed....and delayed...and delayed. :-( Mechanical problems with the de-icer wiring on a wing. I was sitting there thinking they wouldn't need to worry about de-icing going to Phoenix! All told I sat in the airport over three hours and then we finally got the go ahead to board. It made for a very long travel day. Such is your life when flying. You just never know.

Now I am back with the grand kids and we are pushing trains and learning to walk all over the house and to take naps without pacifiers. Did I ever mention that I have pretty neat grand babies? Yes, I thought I had. :-)






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Finally off the bottle!

No, I don't mean me. :-) Kayley was given the green light to get rid of the formula and get on whole milk out of a sippy cup. We all are in heaven about that development! As you recall, we have had a struggle from the beginning with her taking a bottle. Only through sheer strength and lots of walking through the house did we get her to take enough to thrive. Now our only concern is that she gets enough liquids throughout the day from the cup. She loves her solid food, though. Yes, life just got a lot easier here for all of us!

It was so nice last week but warmed up a little this week. I think we are through with that now, too. Before I know it I will need a long sleeved shirt in the morning and the kids will be wearing jeans outside to play. That will be different!

Mark has been harvesting beans. A breakdown here and there but sounds like he is rolling now. May the weather please cooperate for him!

I am having a blast watching Kayley go nuts with Teletubbies videos! She just goes bonkers when it comes on. Too funny...at least for grandma.

Can't believe it is almost October!

Where does the time fly? We will be carving pumpkins before we know it!

It was a nice week here. Not too hot and definitely not too cold! This week-end was a sports week-end for Andy and Megan. Had tickets to the Diamondbacks Saturday night and a Cardinals game tonight so I watched the grandkids both nights. The Cardinals had a very disappointing showing against Manning and the Colts but they seem to always be a great team with him in charge.

On a brighter note our Iowa Hawkeyes soundly defeated the 5th rated Penn State Nittany Lions so that was a great high point to our week-end! Have a great rest of the year Hawks!

I did manage to get in a great hike by myself Saturday morning. That is the one thing I dearly love to do in Arizona. So many beautiful trails! Other than that, not a whole lot to relate from this end of the U.S. Just enjoying the great weather and the grand kids.

Another video of guess who! :-)