Aaahhhh! Breathing again.

It's been a busy few weeks, but we made it. I so feel for Teresa. Hope all is well with her and her family and that they are enjoying their new life!

We moved July 2&3 to an almost finished house. The cabinet maker is here today installing all of the cabinets and drawers so now I can unpack and organize. Plus the electrician and media wiring guy are finishing up. I'm happily unpacking boxes and taking them outside. Yahoo!! However, I'm not sure that I need 1/2 the stuff I brought! I'll post pictures when it's unpacked.

July 3-12 we went on our first trip to Lake Powell. Even the drive through northern Arizona was beautiful!
Coincidentally, Tudi and Roger were there for a couple of the days and joined us. We sure enjoyed their company.

We are standing in front of Rainbow Bridge, considered one of the 7 new natural wonders of the world. It was 50 miles up river plus a shortish, HOT hike, but worth it.


Here we are at Sandy Beaches, where Krista spent the week. Hot and barren, but a nice cove with an incredible view.

Don is really a kid at heart. He is playing in the sand after being buried up to his chin. Everyone is amazed, and pleased, with his youthful exuberance and energy.

We were very impressed with Lake Powell. It is HUGE. You could get lost and never be found! The weather was perfect (high 90's), the water was like glass much of the time, and since we go Monday-Friday, it wasn't too crowded.

It was great to get away for a few days and come back refreshed and relaxed.

Janey Heathman and family

Newsflash: Janey Heathman has arrived home.
Loving parents, Julie and Joseph, are thrilled with her arrival,
adjusting well, and looking forward to an eternity together.

Julie and Joe are Parents!!

And here She is!

A beautiful, healthy 7 lb 1oz baby girl, Janey Heathman, was born to Julie and Joe at 9:50am on Saturday, June 28th, 10 days early. Everyone is doing well and they went home today. Julie is a trooper and according to Joe was "amazing". More to follow.

Look at that wonderful hair!!

Grandma and Janey are doing fine. Julie's a little tired.


We are finishing packing for our move tomorrow. I'm so glad she came early since we are planning on being at Lake Powell on her due date. The Lord takes care of the details if we just ask, and I didn't have the heart to ask that she come a week late.

Seems like forever since I wrote - so here's a catch up. Sorry - no pictures - for some reason my computer is not reading my memory card and I haven't had time to look for the cable.

We have been VERY busy making all the last minute decisions for the house. I think if it was just one person making the decisions it would go faster, but with two, and then we brought in a designer for some suggestions - it takes a while. We've driven all over San Diego looking at things - some decisions we are very pleased with, others we would have done differently. But it's all good.

We will move in by the end of June, ready or not (hopefully ready). Most of it should be done. The oil prices are affecting more then gas - when we got the bids for the construction loan in Sept 07, the cost of the asphalt driveway was going to be $8,000.00. This week, 8 months later, it has gone up to $20,000.00!!! for the driveway!! it has to be asphalt or concrete for fire regulations. Ugh!! There went my front loading washer and dryer, my new living room and bedroom furniture!! The prices all seem to be HIGH!

Although I try to keep a decent journal (monthly) I've started a new one just for daily miracles. If you look for them, every day several miracles occur. I found my car keys in an obvious place after searching at least three times, the upstairs, the downstairs, the car, then saying a prayer. Why didn't I just start with the prayer?

I take raw almonds to the Temple to put in a small bowl for the Sisters to snack on. But I was out and hadn’t gotten to the store to get more. I was prepared to apologize numerous times as Sisters came in for their “almond fix”. At 5:30am, as I was preparing to leave for the Temple, I looked in a cupboard that I don't usually look in until dinner, and there was a baggy of almonds that I hadn't seen before! just enough for the day!

By focusing on miracles, I recognize blessings, I see the Lord's hand in my life more, which makes me more grateful, which gives me more faith (trust) that He knows me and loves me and will provide for me. What a great feeling when the media focuses on so much negativity. It can change your life.

Good Bye to Soo Bahk Do

Well, it's done. Tonight I went to karate dressed in street clothes, gave Master Trevellyan a hug, a thank you note and said good bye. Gave several other people thank you notes too. It was sure hard. I cried as I wrote the notes.

My elbow got hurt about six weeks ago and isn't healing because I won't stop training, plus it 's too far to drive from Escondido at night, and at 56, it's time. I started in Jan 1996, trained 3 times a week consistently and made it to 3rd degree Black Belt. And LOVED 99% of it! Don't know what I'll do now, but trust that something will come up.

I did eat delicious bag of Dove dark chocolate with almonds to drown my sorrow. That should sit well now that I'm not exercising.

Two in one day - consistency is so important!

Kimber is helping Julie with the dishes on Mother's Day. Kimber loves to do dishes, bath Molly, tighten screws, anything that is helping the many adults in her life. Jacob's Mom commented that when she goes to school and realizes that other kids only have one or two parents, she'll be shocked. Tami is a great mom, but she has 10 other people to love and care for her.

I love when Laura puts in what her kids say, sooooo :
Kimber was leaving with Tami and Jacob so Don said "See ya later, alligator."
She turned around and in a firm voice said "I"m KIMBER."
It's always good to know who you are in life.

Notice Julie's rounded tummy. Their little girl is due July 8th. Julie looks and feels great - except on the 90+ degree days. Luckily, she works in an air conditioned office.


Sandi and Molly sampling Donnie's chicken fajita. No wonder the dogs stay in the kitchen when anyone is cooking.


This is the master bath shower. I LOVE it! The rest of the house is kind of rustic. Tumbled stone, quartzite, travertine. Don was looking at tumbled stone for in here, but when I saw this slab of marble, I fell in love. And he lovingly agreed. It's going in here and the laundry room. Kind of like our cars. Everyone drives 4 wheel drive trucks or jeeps, but I love my little BMW. This will be my touch of class.


This is the kids bath/shower. 6" tumbled stone. It looks really good. There is a decorative band about half way up the window, but the camera had trouble with the light from the sun streaming in and still being able to see the tile.

Here's the roof, about 1/2 way done.

The roof, tile in the bathrooms and the paint in the entire house will be finished this week. They start laying the floor tile Monday. The cabinets and countertops go in after that. We're almost there!! I hope to start moving the middle of June and be living there by June 22 or so. That gives us time to clean this house, get organized and be ready to go to Lake Powell July 6th. So much to do, so little time.

Catching up

Wow. Almost a month - life can get busy, and ours was, is and will be until we move.

We've been choosing the granite, tile, floors and paint. What a lot of decisions! Absolutely, incredibly beautiful slabs of onyx and marble. Makes me wish I was a geologist so that I would know how God created them. If you ever have the chance, just walk through a large slab yard. It's an artistic treat.

I gave my 30 notice at karate after 13 years. When we move we'll be 40 minutes from the do jang. I'm hoping to find another exercise that I'm as passionate about. Any ideas? Jacob's mom teaches Ashtanga yoga or I might get a personal trainer for a couple of sessions and see what they say. I haven't been to a gym for so many years.

Catching up: My Mother's Day was one of the best ever. The Saturday before, Julie and I went to Time Out for Women (a church women's conference). Spending time with Julie, the speakers and the music, and just taking a break were all wonderful.
For Mother's Day, the kids took care of everything! Sean and Donnie are both great cooks and did the meat. The girls brought everything else. And best of all, all the girls cleaned up (we're still working on the boys)! Every last crumb, dish and chair. What a blessing! And, Tami's boyfriend's (Jacob) mother and her boyfriend came. So it was a full room and a lot of fun.


Here are the gorgeous flowers I got. Plus an Ipod - at my request. I love it. I get so tired of listening to the radio and my car only holds a few CD's in it's deck. The quilt in the background is one Julie made me a couple of years ago to match my dining room.

We went for our first river trip last week-end. It was 112 degrees in Yuma. We had sold my 11 year old 2-seater that I love. It was a two-stroke that takes more gas, has a much shorter driving range and is more for rivers then lakes, where the swells can get HUGE. We got a great deal on this used one. It's got more horse power and a bigger gas tank than my car! Took it out once and we're selling it. Don and Todd both said it's too powerful! It was fun to drive (I keep the speeds down) but sounded like a train because of the super charge. We'll get a smaller, friendlier three seater for our trip to Lake Powell.
This is what I found in the kitchen when I came downstairs this morning. A 5 inch centipede. Ugh!! Luckily, Sean found it last night and it was safely contained, to be released by Don across and down the street. He said their sting is less then a bee. Some consolation.