Since September 2013

Time does fly past so much I can't remember anytime in my life when I have been to more places in such a short time. They are not new places just repeats of places since these are the places where my children and grandchildren live.  So grateful that I can go and be at special events for my family. I have been to Fairport New York, Bloomington Indiana, Laie Hawaii,  Watkinsville Georgia, and Provo Utah. In between those trips I have done the normal living with one exception. Grandmother Baker fell near Christmas time and has been needing someone at her home most of the time for the last 6 months.  There for awhile we have really worried that she had lost all desires to take care of herself but she is showing signs of getting better but she still has had a great set back and we feel she will never be capable of taking care of herself without help.  That has also made my life busier.  We also had a change of having dad be released from his stake calling after nine years.  What a change to sit together in church to be able to have so many nights when we don't have many things to do or think or be too. He has spent so much time out in the shop and loves the time he has to do that.  He has a book always in hand and is reading much.  He  misses the people and visiting with them but I also think he likes that he is not so pressured with this  constant being needed by someone for an answer.  I do have a few pictures from the many places and people we have been with.

Sam received the priesthood back in September he got to go to the priesthood session.

 

Baby Lucas was born in October

Baby Finden came for Chrtmas along with his family

Went to the cabin for winter fun

Went to see Lucas blessed and Maggie baptized 

The Berry came for spring break to have fun in Idaho

Looking at the Past and Enjoying the Present

While trying to find some pictures that would document the cabin boat dock so we can have a grandfathered- in permit for it I came across a few pictures I thought I'd share with everyone.
We also took grandma to the cabin last weekend and had a nice dinner and spent the night had a traditional cabin breakfast with sourdough pancakes and then came home.  We had just planned this at the spure of the moment thing and for some reason everyone was able to come.  Uncle Dwight and Aunt Lorriane  almost didn't make it because it was homecoming and Linley was in royalty and her escort was in the football game and so she thought she might have to have her dad escort her on the field but it turned out that the coach let the guys from the football team that were royalty go on the field at half time.
We found evidence of an animal in the cabin and so we talked about having something done in the dirt crawl space that is more permanent where we cement the floor and bring up the sides with concrete so we can keep the animals from nesting and coming into the cabin for the winter.  This time they weren't just in the crawl space.  Dad and I were first up to the cabin and we found an empty pop can in the middle of the floor.  Little nick-nacks on the floor pushed off the shelves.  The air freshner in the bathroom was on the floor and the soup dispenser was in the sink.  Wally and Amy the last family up said they did not leave it that way.  We hope we can get someone to do this before the snow flies.  We need a bid and then we will go from there.  Well I hope you enjoy the past and present pictures.

Jeff and Wally washing the truck my how young they look

If you think he looks like some of his boys you are right Uncle Dwight
personally I see Ian in him
don't ask me how that happens

All of us at the cabin it was so great to be together with mom and she loved it
as any mother would like to be with her children.  A funny thing the morning
we woke up I and dad were up first then one by one each of my early morning
siblings got up and pretty soon we were all up way before the spouses except for
dad and he went fishing .  I had to laugh at the inherited trait of early morning people
that we are because of our parents and grandparents.

More to See

because I can't figure out how to do a slide show these post are many to get you the information.  I can't seem to post more than 4 pictures at a time so here are a few more.

hydrangea  bushes everywhere in every color

hanging baskets and window boxes everywhere

Japanese garden

giant Easter lilies

Butchart Garden Victoria Canada

Here are the gardens that I was so amazed at and enjoyed spending the afternoon and evening walking around and seeing the most beautiful landscaping and flowers.  The weather in the northwest must be so perfect for flowers.  Not to cold not to hot.  And lots of moisture.  Megan you would have loved this place.

sunken garden

we spent about four hours walking through and didn't see it all

Uncle Dwight and Aunt Lorraine not with us they had recently been to the gardens

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean or Discovering New Things

While sailing we would every night take the dingy (small motor boat ) out to set crab pots (large cages that where tied to a long rope and had a buoy on top so you could find your crab pot after about  an hour you would go back to see if you caught anything.  We were pretty lucky we had crab two nights.  It is very fresh  and very delicious.  Here is a picture of Uncle Norm looking at the crab. The boat is what is called a dingy.

there were orange and purple starfish all over the rocks

Sailing Sailing over the Deep Blue Sea or Come On Baby Take Me On a Sea Cruise

You are all waiting to hear how the big sailing adventure went.  Well let me just say it was a once in a life time experience.  I felt like the jennie in Aladin in a little bitty space.  But we had terrific weather and saw some beautiful places.  Here are a few pictures that tell it all.  The flower and garden pictures come from visiting Butchart Garden's in Victoria Canada.  They were so beautiful and the pictures do not do them justice.  Enjoy!

This is the boat we were on it is called the Double Eagle and is a 52 foot sail boat remember we had 12 people on this boat for 6 days.

the cords by me were how we got power when we moored at night

on the deck of the boat

coming up from the hull of the boat where we had eating and sleeping quarters you had to walk side ways to get from one place to another. Bottom picture is our captain Uncle Norm and my Aunt Cathy grandpa Baker's sister.  He has sailed to Hawaii before and been in sail boat races.  Very experienced sailor.

A new Grandson and a visit to New York

It has been a busy summer and I have a few minutes to write and show some of the special things that have made this summer memorable.
As spring came we welcomed a new grandson on May 1st.  He is a joy and miracle as he joined the Gilchrist family who have waited and prayed for a baby to come to their family .  It is hard to tell the feelings that have come as a result of this special gift.  Everyone has felt inspired and acknowledge the confirmation of his coming to this family.  We love and welcome Finden our 17th grandchild.

Letting this little one go home so far away was pretty hard but a trip at the end of June for Grandma made it easier.  It was fun to be with Susan and her boys for a week.  We did a lot of sewing as we redecorated Susan's bedroom with a new bedspread curtains pillows and everything else that goes with bedding.  I didn't want to see a sewing machine for a few weeks after that marathon.  Here are a few pictures of some fun in New York.