Shane's News

Hey all!!

Wanted to let you all know Shane FINALLY graduates from Army Basic Training on April 9th!!! Woohoo!! He's so excited to finally complete it. As some of you MAY remember, he joined the Army back in 1995 and had to leave because he got hurt back then too. So, it's been a long time coming!! He then has a week off and then they start their AIT training to become Combat Engineers. He graduates around the time Tyler does and then he WON'T be coming home like previously stated. Shane said he would rather wait until July 4th, when he will have two weeks off. That gives us more time together anyway. So..... we will patiently wait for him, but VERY excited for his graduation next week!!

Mom was also finally able to fly out of Anchorage early, early this morning and got to her destination just fine. We hope she enjoys her visit in Wisconsin, although she was 4 days late.

That's all I've got guys!! Until next time....

Kalyn's trip and other news

Hey all,

Here are a few photos I promised of Kalyn's trip. She had a great time!!! Kind of hard to narrate the photo, but pretty much they went to Hard Rock Cafe, Sea World and the beach!! She actually told me that she was a little afraid to attend the Shamu show. I told her she would be fine and her father told her if Shamu bites you, just bite back!!!! Noone got bit, thank goodness!!

My mom STILL has not left Anchorage and now the airport is closed indefinately!! She does have a scheduled flight out on Tuesday am, but not even sure about that. There is ash falling everywhere. I feel so bad for her!!! Please keep good thoughts for mom in hopes that she can leave safely!!

I cleaned for Marlene yesterday and then came home and cleaned my house!! I was able to get a lot done around here. Laundry, cooking lunch, etc and even got some things put away that don't need to be out and went through some clothes in the closet, etc. I'm still trying to whittle things down before company gets here in about 6 weeks!! There's going to be alot of people here so I want to have as much room as possible for them.

Kalyn had to work yesterday so I took her, went and worked out at the gym, came home, showered, got ready, went and picked Kalyn up and then we stopped by Christine's new apartment by the high school. She just moved in on Thursday. It's a real cute little place and Marlene had given me a crockpot to give her so we dropped that off as well. We had a nice little visit and she showed us all her purchases she had made at Walmart that day for her new place. It's real cute!! Christine is the one that used to work at the bank, left and went back to college, graduated and is now back at the bank while her boyfriend is off at Ft. Knox, KY in basic training!! He will be in training for another several months so she came back to LA until he is settled and she may go join him. So, we chat a lot about our men being in the Army and such.

That's all I've got for now. I work at the gym today 2-6 and I will be sending out the family newsletter today as well so watch for that. Until next time.....

Tyler Jammin'!!

Hey all,

Here is a latest photo of Tyler playing his guitar at a band concert, I think. Our former neighbor, Andy, happened to be at the concert watching his son Michael and took some pics of Tyler playing. He is the one that did Tyler's senior portraits. We purchased a 5x7 of this photo from him and I think it's pretty nice.

I promise Kalyn's trip photos are coming next!! Until next time....

Saturday!!

Hey all,

My poor Mom has been trying to leave Alaska for Wisconsin since Thursday night!! They keep cancelling flights due to the volcanic eruption of Mt. Redoubt. Mom is upset, but hoping she can finally leave on tonight's flight. Let's wish her a safe trip out!! Ash is very dangerous for planes, so we would rather her be safe than sorry!!

I thought I would post a picture of my sister Jenni and her son Trent on here since previously I had put Jon and his family on here.

I will be doing Kalyn's trip on here also so be on the watch for that.

I'm heading out to go clean, so will chat more later. Until next time...

Thursday....almost the end of the work week....well for some!

Hey all,

Just a quick update....

Kalyn got home safe and sound and had a wonderful time in San Diego. She even had a sunburn!!! She said they came back through Phoenix so she was happy about that. She also arrived home to a SEVERE wind storm!!! It was awful!! Thought we would blow away driving down the road! I didn't sleep well that night, but I did recover the next night...thank goodness.

Tyler is doing well and beginning to get his room clean for company!! He plans on cleaning it out next week (Spring Break) and also going "camping a lot", he says. :) It's been cold, so we will see.

Shane got moved to his new company and they are in week 7 which was perfect for him! His graduation date is May 22nd, which is the day before Tyler's high school graduation. I assume I will be picking him up from the airport on the 23rd in the evening time, which is perfect cuz then Tyler's party should be over by then. It will be nice to have him home while everyone is here. He will also get to see Kalyn before she leaves with my mom to Alaska for a month. We didn't think he would be home til June and then he would miss seeing her.

I am doing well. Had an eye doctor appointment and my vision is good, just a slight vision impairment, but not enough for glasses YET!! I also have an eye allergy so I have prescription drops now. They seem to be working well. I mentioned it cuz my eyes are always red and itchy and I use over the counter eye drops daily. When I went to Alaska, the whites of my eyes turned a pure white!! So, I knew I had something going on. I have a doctor and dentist appointments in April. Should be fun! ha-ha

Until next time....

Sunday...a day of rest!!

Hey all!!

Well today is the first day off I have had in about 2 weeks so I'm very happy today!! I got to sleep in until about 9ish, got up and ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then showered, dressed and did some things around the house and texted or talked on the phone to Shane the whole time. Finally got off the phone and drove down to the store to get the ingredients to make chicken ala king!! We used to be able to buy the frozen little bags of the mix and just boil it up and voila, you've got the sauce to throw over a biscuit. Well, those frozen bag days are long gone and so I looked up a recipe online and made it myself, thank you very much!! The recipe called for bell pepper and mushroom, but I also added chopped carrots and celery for more color/flavor. It is delicious!! I also had too much chicken boiled up so I threw some in the small crockpot with BBQ sauce and now we've got another meal to attack!! I really love to cook when I have the time. It's relaxing and fun!

I also fixed up the storage shed a bit and got my Easter decor out and put the St. Patty's day stuff away. The customers at the bank like the fact I have a little holiday display. They say then, they know what holiday is coming up!! hahaha

It is sunny outside, but a bit breezy. I spent a little time in the front yard raking and I also let the cats roll around outside for a bit also. They love it. I also don't have to worry as much about them getting away as now our yard is fenced in.

So, I'm feeling relieved that I got a lot of things done that needed to be done this weekend. It's a wonderful feeling... Until next time!

Saturday, the day after the 1st day of Spring!

Hey all,

No photos to display as Kalyn took the digital with her to California!! She's been calling and texting everyday and she's having a wonderful time!! We got the cutest picture of her and Elmo today!! I set it as my background on my phone now. (the previous one was me and my brother at Ft. Benning, GA!)

So, while Kalyn was away....Mom played...in her room that is. I dusted everything and pulled everything away from the walls, cleaned the wall and then vacuumed that spot. It is now dust-free! She now only has a boxful of old papers that need to be gone through and tossed and then maybe some of the clothes in her closet she no longer wears also! Hopefully, we can keep it this clean before company comes in 2 months!!

Tyler's room is the same messy way and very dusty. He says he's gonna get to it, but he's so busy with school stuff, I may have to ask him if I can sneak in there and get it cleaned for him. The hard part is all the guitars and crap in his small room. I'll have to put things in the hall just to be able to move around freely and get the vacuum in there!!

Shane will be moved next week to his new company and he can hardly wait. This gives him an estimated graduation date of June 5th. He has no foot pain and he's excited to get going again!!

I'm going to bed now...I'm wiped out from the dust. Until next time...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hey all!!

Hope you all wore green today or face the possibility of being pinched!! hahaha

Shane passed his physical test, so he is just waiting to see when and if he will join the next company this week or next. His paperwork is a bit messy because they did not record all of the things he completed so it's all screwed up. For instance, he is listed as going to the next company as of week 7, but shows him not qualifying with the firearms. Well, he got expert on that and that was back at week 3, so if he didn't pass, how come he made it to week 7?? There is no possible way. So, Shane is trying to say, that he actually has gone through to week 14 (which is part of the AIT program) and has completed things up to THAT point. So, the people trying to help him are taking their time and time is of the essence in this instance as it decides whether he is home for Tyler's graduation or not. I mean, yes, we realize we already knew the possibility that he may not be here to witness it, but it would be a shame that he miss it over some crazy miscalculations.

Gram Diana had her surgery a few weeks early and had it completed today!! Tj called me a few times and let me know she is fine and all is well with her!! We wish her a speedy recovery!! She had surgery on her right hand. Poor thing!!

Kalyn is getting ready to head out Thursday morning and she is now sick with a cough/cold/sore throat and can barely talk!!! Poor girl....I'm loading her down with meds as we speak!!

That's all for now. Until next time...

Appreciation Monday

Hey all!!

Well, I still wasn't feeling well this morning, but I got ready for work, etc anyway and lo and behold...my boss calls me at 7 am saying SHE is calling in sick!! Go figure...I told her I had been sick all weekend and she was sympathetic. She wanted me to get there to open, but I wasn't able to get there in time, so she said she would get there and open for me and then leave. So, get to work....she did a couple things, asked how I was feeling and to CALL her if I felt worse. I told her I would be fine, no worries, I would get through it. She left then (later I figured out she left in a huff) and came back about an hour or so later ready for work!! I told her to march herself right back around and go home. I would be fine! She said I made her feel bad and so she decided to come back. I insisted and said, "no, I'm fine...I've got the day all worked out and you just go home and rest." So, she left and made me promise to call if I felt worse. I felt ok (except I probably shouldn't have eaten those skittles) and made it through just fine!!

Then!!! I get to work at the gym (immediately from the bank to the gym I might add) and there is a bouquet of flowers (hence the photo) and a gift certificate for a 1 hour massage from the owners of the fitness center!! How ridiculously sweet was that??? I asked Kent, the owner, why I was the recipient of such good things and he said "cuz you're awesome!!" Awwwww......so, yeah, one crazy event led to a nice one!!

That's all for tonight. Until next time.....

Sunday Dinner at Gabriel's!!! Yummy!!!

Hey all!!

We had a pretty nice weekend except for the fact that I felt sick all weekend long. Mostly laid in my bed trying to overcome the "sick to my stomach" feeling. I never actually got sick, so that's good. Still feeling a bit crummy tonight and I just pray it goes away!! Thank goodness I didn't have a lot going on or anything pressing to attend to this weekend!!

We all just got back from Gabriel's tonight!! We were celebrating (since Kev said we HAD to be celebrating something) the fact that Gram and Gramps were back in town!! Sounded good to us!! We will take ANY celebration to be able to go to Gabriel's. They serve authentic mexican food and it's deee-licious!! I've attached some photos that I took to commemorate the event!! It was myself, Kalyn, Tyler, Emily (Ty's girlfriend), Kevin, Tj and Diana in attendance.

Kalyn leaves Thursday for San Diego. She's sooo excited!! She's been saving her money and has a good amount to take with her now. They return to LA late Sunday evening. Short, but sweet trip!!

Tyler is just busy getting his ducks in a row to graduate and get the college stuff going. Pretty stressful time for him right now.

Shane was released to full duty, so he takes his physical fitness test tomorrow morning!! We wish him luck and will be thinking of him!! I'm sure he will do just fine! :)

That's all for now! Until next time....

Wacky Wednesday!!

Hey all!!

Hope everyone is doing well out there. Well, after a "blah" day yesterday, today was much better!! This picture depicts what we do at the bank when no customers come in and the boss is at lunch!!! This is Dave riding the cash cart with Christine pushing him!! I am STILL laughing just looking at the photo!! It was entertainment for about 15 minutes!




Now this photo is my brother, wife and their 3 kids, that my mom sent to me. They went to Disney World in February and had a great time!

That's all for now!! On my way to go work tonight at the gym.

Until next time....

Windy Tuesday!

Hey all!!

It is REALLY windy here today!! The temps are about 35 degrees, but that darned wind!! Not a good hair day today.

Tj and Diana are back!!! Yeah!! They had a great time in Florida and plan on going back in early fall. They have plans to rip out their bathroom/closet area and get that looking nice and new. They came by the bank yesterday to say hello! Very nice of them. We missed them terribly. Welcome back guys!!

Kids are fine. Tyler was home sick yesterday from school. He's had this bronchitis thing on and off and may go to the doctor today depending on how he feels. Kalyn wrote a paper last night about Louisa May Alcott while I watched the movie, "The Women", and fell asleep on and off. (Still trying to catch-up on daylight savings) It was a nice relaxing evening!!

That's it for now folks. Until next time....

Daylight Savings Sunday!

Hello all!!

Gosh.....I really hate daylight savings!! LOL Especially this one where you lose an hour of sleep!! I understand the concept, but its just no fun!!

Been talking to Shane most of the weekend. He got moved, again, to a place where they exercise twice daily to get them back into shape to return to duty. He says if his appointment goes well tomorrow with the doctor, she can release him back to full duty and then the following Monday (the 16th) he can take the physical fitness test and if he passes that, they he can return to regular duty!! The physical fitness tests are only on Mondays so if he gets delayed or anything with scans on his foot, etc...it could be a different Monday that he takes the test. He's really excited to be exercising again and says his foot feels great!! He was VERY appreciative that I sent him the DVD player, Ipod, etc. Gives him something to do. So, Shane's address is the same except where you put "CLP" it should be "WTRP". He will get mail regardless, but this may be easier and faster.

Kids are doing great! Tyler and Kalyn both worked yesterday and so did I so none of us were home in the early evening. Kalyn didn't even have a ride to work at 5, so I had to find someone to come relieve me at the gym, while I drove home and got her and then returned to the gym!! Everyone was out having fun apparently!!

No pictures right now, but I have started carrying my digital around with me just in case that certain "kodak moment" happens upon me!!

Everyone take care!! Until next time......

Kalyn's concert

Hey all!!

Kalyn's concert was really good last night!! Grandma Diana would have loved the "Ave Maria" they sang twice by two different choir groups! Kalyn is in the group named "Harmony" and they did a great job!! Woohoo Kalyn! They leave for San Diego in 2 weeks for their choir contest. We wish them luck!

Until next time....

Happy Tuesday!

Hey all!!!

Just a quick note this morning. Hope everyone is well out there. There have been a few break-ins in the neighborhood with people stealing things out of cars so we've been taking extra precautions to make sure the vehicles are locked, etc. Our neighbor had her wallet stolen (not sure why people STILL keep their wallets in their vehicles)and another neighbor had his GPS taken. Tyler doesn't usually keep his doors locked so I had to gently remind him!!

Kalyn has a choir concert tonight and I'm off work so I actually get to go!! I think Christine, from work, is gonna go along also. I will try to remember my camera and take pics so that I can post here!!

That's about it for now. Happy Tuesday!!

Until next time....