More High Sierra Backpacking Shots

Backpacking 2006 #4
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

I have had a time posting these - sorry for their haphazard appearance(s)!!

Backpacking in the Sierras II- 2006

Backpacking 2006 #2
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

What's for dinner - sardines or Top Ramen?

Backpacking in the Sierras II- 2006

Backpacking 2006 #3
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

Apparently this hammock is worth the journey. Looks pretty all-consuming to me!

Backpacking in the Sierras - 2006

Backpacking 2006 #1
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

Maybe Dad's checking his blog!

Two is Two-rific

This recent photo from Bonny's blog is on my PC desktop at work. I just find it funny.

And a happy birthday #2 to Annika today.

(Also happy B-day to the boy wizard. I have no idea how old he is but I guess it doesn't really matter since he's not a real person.)

"Wnen the cat's away, . . ."

Dad went backpacking for 4 days - and I guess I could have taken some shots of him with his gear - but he did - so maybe he will do a new post on his blog - I'll keep you "posted" - ha, ha!!

Anyway, I decided to go ahead and spruce up the yard - hired Taylor Hoopes for his brawn - and his little truck for treks to the Home Depot for Amend, and plants and flowers. He dug up the front and worked the soil to be suitable for planting.

Dawn added her artistic eye for plant placement and Taylor planted. Little Harry was impressed enough to suggest I do bark - and he spread all that around for me. I also went and got more plants after I'd paid Taylor off, so I planted some of them myself. And I made two trips to HD and hauled the 5 bags of bark myself - the Amazing Granny I was to all those folks at the HD.

It looks lovely - Dad said, when he got home, "Did you do the yard yourself?" I took full credit for about 30 seconds and then gave credit to all my helpers.

For those who know Dad, his second comment, after praising its beauty, was "What we really need is an irrigation system."

Next I tackle the ubiquitous bed of calla lillies - there's no stoppying the Amazing Granny Babs when she gets a bee in her bonnet - note the new hair cut too - the close cropped, gray haired Amazing Granny!!

Ahoy There!

Whil I was packing up boxes I came across this sailor suit that I asked Pam to make for Henry when he was 2 1/2. I had seen one very similar in a boutique, but it was $60. So we recreated it. Lo and behold, it fits Calvin right now.
I have to say, that I always love a man in uniform!
*Please note* it is impossible to get Calvin to smile in a picture.

Some shots I missed -

I missed a few photos on the Pioneer Day blog - so in case you want to add them to your files, here they are.

The heat eased up a bit last night and was downright pleasant this a.m. But it's back with a vengeance tonight.

At the end of every summer, I say, "Well, there were only a few bad days." I need to keep better track!

The Pioneer Day photo of Grandma and Hannah qualifies - we went over there after the activity - since our power was out all day while we were having a new electrical service put in.

Henry's Goals

Today, in the car...

Henry- Mom, I decided what I want to be when I grow up.

Me- What's that?

Henry- An Expert

"Whenever I think about pioneers . . ."

Happy Pioneer Day one and all. Eliza called and I thought, "Gosh, this is a day off for her." But then I'm on summer vacation, so it's a day off for me too!

We celebrated Pioneer Day Saturday - Harry F. was in charge and we had a fun time - in spite of the heat. Fortunately we had it early in the day, had lots of lemonade, watermelon and popsicles - and there was a breeze now and then. (With the rest of the West, we are enduring triple digit temperatures!)

I have been waiting to post the picture of Bonny and Harry in 1977 - on Pioneer Day - in front of the cornfield next to the Cook Apts. where we were living at the time. That blue checked dress has been on the back of many a Terrill daugther and granddaughter - it must be kicking around somewhere - we found the bonnet anyway - it was too hot for the dress!

Then I found these pictures from Pioneer Day 1995 - I had been asked to do a "Sister Friendly" routine and tell pioneer stories to the children. So I got very ambitious and made this great pioneer dress and bonnet. I remember halfway through the making of it, I wondered what in the heck I was doing!! It was hot sewing it - we didn't (and still don't) have central air, so it was a project.

But I enjoyed wearing it and all the positive comments. And many have used it on subsequent Pioneer Day celebrations, Relief Society Birthday presentations, and other dramatice moments.

And I am especially excited that it once again fits me! This go round I was the Pocket Lady - kids played games, got tickets and then "picked my pockets" for a prize. It was a big hit.

It was hot, but not too bad - especially if we stood in the shade - one little girl pulled out my car keys and said, "What's this?"

So there are pictures of Hannah, Noah, me, Bishop and Sarah Cornwall, Rachel Watson, Diane and Erin McGlone from 1995 - and some shots from Saturday - mostly me, Dad, Hannah, Harry and Dawn. I had my camera in one of the pockets too, but kept forgetting to take pictures.

The next day in Relief Society, we sang "Whenever I think about pioneers" for our practice hymn - and reflected for a small moment of just why we celebrate Pioneer Day - good food for thought.

Kilt Him a Bar When He Was Only Three

Early tomorrow morning (so early I have no idea why I'm still up) I'm driving Matt to the airport, so he can fly to DC and spend Tuesday and Wednesday taking the bar. Did I say taking, I meant, acing the bar.

So . . . be thinking of him if you have a moment! As Mom said to me today, send him your good karma.

I'm really looking forward to Thursday. I don't think I'm the only one.

Spotted

on the PCH 

A little late-night humor!!

I actually found this yesterday morning in the LA Times and nearly fell off the chair laughing. Dawn thought it was just as funny. So we cut it out and put it on the fridge - but since most of you won't be seeing our fridge any time soon, I thought I would share!!

2nd Time Around

There is something (well, many things) to be said for grandparenthood. And one of the best things to say for it is that you get to do better than you sometimes did for your kids.

I'm not fishing for someone to say, "Oh you were a great mom" or something similar. I am talking about being in a setting and thinking, "I can be patient here." Or "I can indulge this small child's whim." Or "I know the different ways this can play out, so I can choose the best one."

And that is where I get a lot of satisfaction - interacting with some great little people who look at me a bit differently than their parents do. Right now we are enjoying the unique opportunity to intereact with Eve and Porter on a daily basis, and it is an enjoyable time.

Last week we enjoyed a brief visit from Henry and Calvin too. Henry and Calvin now think that Dad's truck is the ultimate vehicle - I love the looks on their faces when they get to ride in the truck. I am especially pleased that even though we see them less regularly than the other grandkids, they seem to "know" us and are comfortable with us.

Ara and Ella came for the weekend, but all four girls were here for the afternoon while B and B had some alone, adult time - my b-day gift to Bruce.

Ara and Ella have been around long enough that we have built some little traditions: Grandpa Bob Stories, Chocolate Milk and Milanos, special pajama shorts made by Grannnybabs, Mormon Poker, Phase 10 Mini-Marathons, and Grandma's Treasure Box forays. And as the younger ones grow, they seem to move right into the "old" traditions

I am looking forward to the new grandkids on the horizon. And even more adventures with some of the greatest little people I've ever had the pleasure to call mine.

So here are some photos of the aforementioned grandkids - they are pretty self explanatory!!

"In my pretty garden . . ."

Phoebe may be the Queen of Activities, but Dawn will have to take the prize this week for the Queen of Special Projects Designed to Enchant Nieces and Granddaughters!

Ara and Ella were here for a little weekend visit, and Dawn dug in her bag of "Good Ideas to Use Someday" and found instructions for making a Fairy Garden! They went gathering things - rocks, pebbles, empty snail shells, bric a brac from all over the house - and Michaels and the 99Cents Store too.

They got potting soil and small flowers, found suitable containers, and went to work! Here are some of the results - Ara, Ella and Eve with their gardens, Dawn with the garden they made for Esme - so she wouldn't feel left out, shots of them working together and a close up of one garden.

I was minimally helpful - and I knocked over Ara's completed garden onto the kitchen floor - but ever the diplomat, she remarked, as we swept up the soil and collected the rocks, "I wanted to redo it anyway!"

I recommend this activity highly - might do well for Achievement Days or something. The directions came from Better Homes and Gardens - and I'm sure Dawn would be happy to Xerox copies and send them off.

We also thought it might make for a wonderful birthday party!

The Fairie Queene would have applauded I am sure!!

Official Declaration

We've done it! David actually made the decision and we are moving to the Portland area where he will be working for another large company, very similar to the one he currently works for. Estimated date of departure is mid-August.
I am buying new rainboots for the entire family.

Sleepy time guys!

Phoebe and David left last Sunday after church - Calvin crashed before they were ready to go - but made the transfer to carseat with a minimum of fuss.

Then I came home one night last week - and Dawn was asleep on the bed with Eve - and Harry and Harry were on the couch in front of the T.V. They didn't even stir when I took the picture! It was pretty funny - at the time anyway!!

Will you marry me?

Today is the 39th anniversary of the day Harry and I got engaged. We had talked about it the week before - I was wondering if he was going to ask me out again for the next weekend! When he said, "So, I guess I'm asking you to marry me," I was a little taken aback!

Then he said, "Well, we need to fast and pray about this - and be sure that we are not just answering our own prayers." So we agreed on a day to fast and then we'd go out and talk about it. (In those days, the distance between Granada Hills and El Monte seemed very long - we only saw each other once a week.)

He called me mid-week - and set up the date for Friday night - but didn't say a word about the proposal. So I thought, "Well, maybe I just imagined that." So I wasn't going to say anything!

He came Friday night and we went to some drive- in in Hollywood for hamburgers. We had not said a word about getting married. Talk about trouble communicating! Finally he said, "Well, what do you think?" And I said, "About what?" (I'm not kidding - but this does make a great story. We may not have had a videotaped event for our engagement, but we do have a funny story!)

When we finally got things straight, we were both pretty excited and happy. And at the Bowl. In those days, you parked on some side street and walked in and got a $1 seat - which is what we did. And we saw Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev - in selections from Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet or both - I was not really focusing on them!

It was July 14, 1967 - Bastille Day to boot! Dear to the heart of all us Francophiles!!