This is becoming a tradition for the Christmas Concert. Mugging for the camera with funny glasses.

Grace 2009

Hannah and a friend 2007

Results of our current arctic blast!!!!

It is still running, but a few more nights like this and I'm afraid it will freeze solid. The pond is about 2 1/2 ft at it's deepest. The ice is about 6in thick in some places. Yikes!!!

The lights still work!!

There are about 13 fish in there somewhere. I hope they don't turn into popsicle fish!!!

7th Grade Choir Christmas Concert

Today Grace's class sang in Seattle for a Christmas Concert.
Steve and I were excited to go and watch and give Grace some moral support, but as with all good intentions, it went south. We missed the whole performance, much to Grace's and our great disappointment. Not that we didn't try. We didn't know exactly how to get there, but we knew it was at the Seattle Center, close to Key Arena. We had our "trusty" GPS, known affectionately as "Zelda" (as in the witch and she comes by it honestly). To begin with, the 12v plug wouldn't work and the battery was low. Just how do you charge the battery on one of these things if the 12v plug doesn't work? Do they make an ac power charger?? Anyway....... We turned it off thinking we would save the battery and wait until we got closer. Should of done our homework. Our much loved GPS took us down the primrose path, again. Well, not so much wrong, just not accurate. As we sat in the ever present "gridlock" on I-5 with cars zooming by in the HOV lane, we followed Zelda's advice - "stay right on I-5". If we had driven in the HOV lane we could have saved much time. As it turns out we should have been in that lane, as it left I-5 exactly where needed to exit the freeway. Zelda informed us to "exit left at Seneca" about 5 seconds before the turn off!!! Thanks, Zelda. By the time we reached the Seattle Center the performance was over. Now we were wandering around Seattle Center looking for the building, freezing our fannies off, and didn't have a clue where to go. I was believing by this time that we would never connect with Grace at all......
Well, we finally found her and Megan, Lindsey, Lindsey's mom, Roxy and Megan's dad, David. I think we were able to salvage some of the day. We (Grace and her friends) went ice skating while the parents watched and took pics, had some lunch and then we took Grace for a little shopping. Even though it started as a stinker, it ended up fun. We love spending time with her
We LOVE YOU Gracie!!!!

Let's see....with the hot tub fiasco on Hannah's birthday and now this, Papa and Gramma are
batting 0 for 2. We've got to do better!!

A not so happy Grace

First time ice skating, needing the wall for support

Strength in numbers

Letting go!!!!!!

A little ice dancing???

Megan giving Grace a little "encouragement"

Ok...I got this down now!!!!!

obligatory pose in front of the ice sculpture to appease Gramma

Happy 14th to Riley
December 2nd
~~ Forever in our hearts ~~

Hannah is 15!!!

This is probably my most favorite picture of Hannah!!
She was a Fairy Princess for Halloween the year she was almost three.
Instead of saying "trick or treat" she would say "Goodies"
She was so happy to show us all her candy that night. She kept saying
"Goodies, Papa, Goodies!!!"

She is still a princess!!!!

Hannah and her peebs:
Hannah Rose aka "Jonesy", Makaela, Hannah Rose & Taelor Danae

Hannah celebrated her 15th birthday on Friday December 4th with a few friends for movies and hot tub at Papa and Grammas.
Taelor Danae, Makaela, and Hannah's friend from 1st grade Hannah Rose, yes, I said Hannah Rose, also known as Jonesy, ate snacks, watched tv and jabbered on into the evening. Steve and I retreated to the upstairs to give them space and let them have the downstairs to themselves. Sometime around 9:30 they decided to try the hot tub. Great! It was cooollldd!!! outside and the hot tub would feel awesome!!! so we thought........
The girls changed and hurried outside to the tub, Steve and I heard giggles and screams and we thought ~ we will have to keep an eye on the clock to keep the noise under control according to quiet hours in the neighborhood!! ~Well, within a few minutes Hannah came in and asked if we could heat up the water real fast because it was only 85 degrees, WHAT?????? I checked it earlier, steam was rising, chemicals were balanced, water was clean......WHAT THE HECK?????
First thought, oh great, its broken... upon checking, we found that somehow the settings had been changed to sleep setting and needed to be reset. We had to tell the girls the hot tub wasn't going to happen (it takes an hour to heat up 4 degrees, that would be about 4 hrs to get to 102) The girls went RUNNING into the house and all together jumped into the hot shower to unfreeze their feet, Yikes........Well, needless to say, Steve and I felt terrible. I'm sure Hannah was disappointed, but being the sweet, lovable girl she is, she said "that's ok, it was still an adventure!!"
I so, so love her~~~~ :)
So, when she asked if she could rent 2 movies from OnDemand, what could we say???
Of course, Hannah, whatever you want..............,
She now has an open invitation to bring some of her friends over for a HOT tub party whenever she wants
HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY HANNAH ROSE ZITNY!!!!!!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!
~~~Your Papa and Gramma are so proud of the
beautiful young woman you have become~~~

**Okay, so my last post was a little premature....**
Normally fall begins before the actual calendar date of September 20th (or so) here in the Pacific Northwest,
but we have been enjoying an extended summer this year.
Finally about 4-6 weeks late we are expiriencing fall weather.
Clear, sunny days, cool crisp temps and changing colors. I know, I know, I said this already, but this time it really is!!!!! Look at the pictures and see for yourself :)
Yesterday we took a train trip on the Mt Rainier Railroad to view the fall colors with the family. It was a perfect fall day and a wonderful family time. Soooo much fun, especially when we reached the trestle and Sarah's voice raised several octaves as she faced her fear of heights!!!!
View more photos of the train trip and the fam at Sarah's blog. She has some great pics

Our house 2009

Mt Rainier Railroad

Wooden train trestle approximately 85 ft high

A little blurry since we were traveling at the breakneck speed of 10mph

View from the train

Fall is in the air

The smell-the sound of rain, the cool, damp air, the leaves turning colors.... I love the season changes
I will miss the warm sunny days and cool summer evenings, the crickets, the bumble bees and the birds singing in the quiet mornings,
but I am excited to see the fall and the beginning of the holiday season.


Our house fall 2007

Ahhh.......... Back to school time!!

The whining, the complaining "I have nothing to wear!!!!" despite you have single handedly brought the country out of it's recession with torturous outings to the mall to shop until you drop, out of bed before the light of day, repeating over and over "eat your breakfast....; did you brush your teeth??; hurry up, you'll miss the bus!!!; don't forget your backpack!!!!!!!!............
Yes, we love back to school time...........................

Promotion Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, Hannah promoted from Middle School to

High School

Yes................I said HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few pictures to document the occasion

First it was a pedicure and a manicure.........................

then, an awesome hairstyle!!!!!!!!!Showtime

"listening" to all the speeches

waiting for her turn, which being in the Z's is a long wait
receiving her certificate

waving to the adoring crowds..................

Happy parents

Tagged

So, Sarah tagged us with this game, problem is, all the people she tagged are the same people we blog. Does this mean we do the "tag your it" merry go round?

Uhmm, not so much.

Well anyway this is my picture. Fitting it happened to come around on this weekend

Craig, looking good in his cammies!!

I actually think this is the day he got his walking papers from the Army

We love you Craig and thank you for your service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Weekend in the SUN!!!!

We spent Mother's Day weekend in Toppenish, Wa at the Yakama Nation RV park. The park is on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. The sun was warm, the sunsets beautiful and the park was clean and quiet. This is a place to consider for all you RV'ers out there. It is deep in American Indian and farming culture. Steve and I would love to go back and take our fellow RV'ers with us. A great place for a group campout and not so far away.

Rest stop near Ellensburg. This about halfway to Yakima. Notice the Stuart Mountains in the background. Absolutely beautiful

The Yakama Nation Museum, Library and Gift Shop full of wonderful cultural items. Beaded purses, clothing and wool blankets, plus many other "goodies" you can't live without. There is also a family restaurant with actual homemade food and pretty tasty, too!! The Ledgends Casino is very close, maybe within walking distance and is supposed to have a great restaurant

These TeePees are available for camping. What a kick for the kids.

Steve reliving his inner kid

Emmy determined to get that wascally wabbit that eluded her the day before

Did I mention a heavy farming influence?? This is the Tractor Parade through the campground. There were new tractors, old tractors and everything in between. My very first tractor parade!!

Part of old downtown Yakima. The date on the sign is 1889.

I'm not sure why it has NYFD and NYPD on the front

Original train depot built in 1908
Now it is a restaurant

A great place for a cool drink on a warm day

A great ending to a wonderful day!!!

** Summer Time In The Garden **

This is the beginning of an ongoing blog about our summer veggie garden. We love to grow veggies, probably more than eat them. In the past we have grown enough to eat fresh and share with friends. We have canned, frozen and dried tomatoes, green beans, several types of peppers and many herbs. This year we are trying the upside down method and are hoping it is not a bust. We are planning on making our own salsa. We have onions, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and garlic in the ground (or pot) along with two types of lettuce, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, wait, I hear a song.................... sorry, I digress. I can't believe I am really blogging about gardening. Steve's mom used to call us and talk endlessly about her gardens. We could have cared less, but as we age this is one of the things that gives us pleasure, so here we go!!!

The beginning of the garden in 2008

August 2008

in the beginning 2009

to be continued..........................