Until we Meet again...

This has been an eventful week. We spent 5 wonderful days in Nebraska with Amy and her family, (post to follow)then home for Thanksgiving.

Last year we spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii with Tyler, Tanya and her family and I felt we needed to be home this year for my Mom.Backing up just a bit; Jerry's parents moved to Los Altos with Jerry's sister almost 5 years ago. Jerry's Mother's health was declining and she needed more care than Dad could give her.

Mom passed away April of 2006. Dad , although 91 years of age, was still strong and doing well. He wanted to move back to Redlands, but we all recognized that he couldn't do that. Slowly over the next several months, his health began to suffer. He had been carrying a low-grade leukemia in his body for years and the Drs said he would probably die of old age before that ever got him. This past year has been a physical struggle for Dad. The cancer spread and he was often in a great deal of pain.

On Thanksgiving Day, Dad left this mortal existence and joined Mom with our Father in Heaven. I am grateful that he is no longer in pain. He was a strength to us all. His memories will live forever with us.

Some of my personal memories:

# The first time I met him, he brought in a bag of pennies and we sat and rolled them. He said 'Someday these will be worth something.'. Years later he gave checkbook boxes filled will rolled pennies to my kids..I know they treasured them

# When my Dad died in 1982, Dad J was there at the service, and he came up to me with tears in his eyes and gave me one of his quick hugs with the pat on the back. I realized there and then that I still had a father on this earth.

# We moved to Yucaipa after the folks' retired. One day Dad called on the phone to see if Tyler was awake, he wanted to come and watch him play.

#While in Yucaipa one day I looked outside and there he was, planting rosebuses in our front yard. The man had a amazing green thumb.

#Speaking of that, he had amazing gardens. He grew vegetables that were delicious and large. His fruit off of his small trees were huge! Oh how we missed the avocados when that tree was overgrown!

#I loved the twinkle in his eye when he was amused. Like the time Tyler bought him an alligator made from green egg-shell foam at the school's santa shop. Tyler was so proud and Dad was so touched. He kept that on his bed for a very long time.

#Dad taught my husband to work, and to work well. Jerry grew up on a small chicken ranch, and for a time, he was the only employee. (the girls and brother were long gone!) Dad taught him how to repair anything and how to take pride in a job well done. It wasn't always easy, those life-lessons, but I am grateful that he taught them to my husband.

#One more...while Mom was in declining health, he was so tender with her. This was a side we didn't see much in the previous 30 years, but it was so beautiful to watch. Her care was all he thought about. Someone HAD to stay with her at the hospital at all times, never was she to wake and be with strangers. He held her hand, he teared up when she was hurting. And watching that lip quiver at her service, did me in.Dad was a man of few words, sometimes gruff, very generous and I love him and will miss him.

Thank you Dad for taking me into your family and always making me feel welcome and loved.

Until we meet again....

The Kitchen is done

This project was started in May of this year, when Jerry took out the wallboard dividing the living room from the dining area.

Look at how great that space is now. http://jeranddijorgenson.blogspot.com/2008/03/quick-remodel-update.html

Next, at the end of May, Jerry took out the window from the dining area into the enclosed porch, and put in french doors.

This area looks great, and just as Jerry had planned, the traffic flow is really easy when we have a gathering like the one we just had for my Mom's 87th birthday. http://jeranddijorgenson.blogspot.com/2008/05/back-to-remodel.html






This is the view looking into the kitchen. Jerry took out the wall oven and countertops and he painted and built cabinet doors. They really came out great.
Please note the terrific plate rack. My amazing man just looked at several designs, then came up with his own to fit our space and dishes.
http://jeranddijorgenson.blogspot.com/2008/07/kitchen.html

Finally a shot of the new stove and range microhood. It really is wonderful, the new floor makes it all come together.

Keep an eye here, next is the new carpeting!

Jer, I love an admire you...you are my love and my hero! Thank you for this beautiful kitchen.

I have a stove and oven

Last weekend, Jerry and I worked the stove up the stairs and had it all ready to go in..yikes! The granite was 3/8" too wide in a couple of places! Talk about frustrated! Jerry measured and measured to get it exact, but the granite-guy didn't quite cut square. So we had to call him back out, and he fixed it on Thursday so Jerry brought home the hook-up stuff; wrong size! He called me on my way home to see where I was to send me to the Hardware store, I was already in Phelan, and too late for Anderson's to be open. So he left Wrightwood, drove to Victorville, (at 8 PM) and got the right stuff! What a guy! Yep, he got it done, and Friday night, (our usual out-to-dinner night) I cooked a meal! It looks great, it works great too. Sunday I did the whole roast, baked potatoes, and fresh vegetables meal. It is really nice to have 2 ovens.

This week the cabinet doors go up...they are all done and painted, then the kitchen will be complete!

Now a HUGE shout-out to my sweetheart who is an amazing man. He works so hard to make our home a more beautiful and comfortable place. Then he even brings a great spirit into it when he strums the guitar and sings. I took this shot Sunday as he sat playing hymns and quietly singing. I am the luckiest girl in the whole USA!!

It is nearing completion!

Last Saturday the Granite counertops were installed. They really look great. We had debated between the gray shades and then this brown, and we are very happy with our choice of brown.
Don't they look terrific???
Today Jerry installed the flooring in the kitchen. He said the video he studied said it is 'easy', but he told me not to let anyone tell me it is 'easy'! He has worked pretty non-stop, since 11:30 this morning and is nearing completion!
I can't believe the difference! Next, the stove goes in, then the cabinet doors will be finished and then hung..and then (or maybe even before that) the new carpeting!

#2 Grandchild is Baptized

We went on a quick 3-day weekend to Vancouver Washington. Michael and Danielle had just started school on Wednesday, so we went to have lunch with them there, lucky for us, they were 1 right after the other. We had to sit at a 'special visitor table' but both kids were all right with that.
The happy boys!
Proud Grandma J with her 1st grader!

Grandpa J had promised Michael a ride on a 'real' train on our last visit. We didn't have time for a trip to Seattle, so we planned a shorter trip, just 2 stops north. We went from Vancouver WA to Centralia WA.

The 1st train was called the Mount Hood, and we got seats with a table between them. We enjoyed HOT chocolate from the cafe car on this ride.

The train back was a double decker called the Coast Starlight. It was going all the way to Los Angeles, so some people were prepared for a very long ride. We enjoyed hot dogs for lunch on this trip.

This was a fun adventure, and it kept everyone occupied as we passed the time for the main event of the weekend: Michael's baptism.

It was a wonderful baptism. Michael was the only one from his Ward being baptized this month, so he was able to have his 'own' meeting. Grandpa J was honored to be asked to baptize and confirm Michael, and both he and Michael did a great job. They had practiced the method, and there were no surprises. We did realize though, that we sould have practiced the handshakes around the circle after the baptism, because as soon as Michael's confirmation was done, he hurried to his seat..never looking back.

We are so very proud of our 1st 2 grandchildren who have chosen to be baptized. They are great examples to their families and cousins too. We are grateful that we are able to be there for these special times in the lives of those we love.

Where did the summer go?

It is now September, the summer is gone. Another fun-filled summer is over. I have a theory that when the 'ber' months arrive, the year is pretty much done! Septem'ber' is busy with the beginning of school, Octo'ber' has birthdays and Halloween, Novem'ber' has Thanksgiving, (more birthdays) and Decem'ber' has (birthdays again,) and Christmas...all so busy, and they can pass in just a blur. So I thought I'd post a few of our Summer happenings, just for a reflection, maybe you'll enjoy it too.We went to Capitola and Jerry & I had our 1st experience staying in the Packard Beach House. What fun that was. We were sorry Teri Le and her family couldn't make it, but enjoyed our time with Tyler and his family. During our trip to Hawaii this summer, for the 1st time, we went to the Hawaiian Temple Visitor's Center. It is really beautiful! So peaceful, and the Sister missionaries there wear Hawaiian Dresses.
I met up for breakfast in Carlsbad with good old friends. Linda Bowman, Marilynn Scheller, Diane Smith and I all worked at Westwood Elementary in the 80s and 90s. We have remained friends, though we are now scattered all over the place. e had a fun GNO group with 4 other co-workers. We went fun places and celebrated birthdays, weddings and events for several years in San Diego.
Jerry did a whole lot of remodeling of my kitchen. No, it isn't quite done, but we are at the point where the 2 big things left will be subbed-out: Counter tops and flooring! The carpet will go in within the next few weeks too! I can hardly wait. Here is my new micro-hood.
We spent a fun day in Newport with Tyler, Tanya, Taylor, Ashlynn and Andy. This is one of my favorite pics from the day..my cute dimpled guys!!

Have you ever...?

...just thought you needed a change, something different? Well, I have been pondering this for quite awhile, and today was the day! I had an appointment to 'cover the gray' and decided to let my hairdresser go at it! She has been wanting to do something different for years now. Now mind you, I get lots of compliments on my hair, so doing this was a HUGE step for me.

My grandkids have posted their 'Back to School' cuts, so here goes...here are mine: Before:

and..

After:

Now, my question to you is...have you ever done something like this...and wish that you hadn't??

Yes, I know, it will grow back, but do I have the patience for it? I guess we';; just have to see.