June 11, 2013

  • June Family Letter

    In my June Family Letter I included the dialog about our Memorial-Day camp-out with family and friends, but if you follow this blog, you will see that dialog along with pictures.  So in this update I will just include what has been happening since Memorial-Day.  However, not much hashappened since that weekend. 

    The weatherhas been perfect, my garden is growing and we have already enjoyed lettuce,peas, squash, radishes.  I picked my first dish or raspberriesyesterday. 


    Garden — Raspberries just starting

    First Dish… YUMM


    The Mossytree (Our HOA) pool opened up after Memorial-Day weekend. 
    Les, Heather & kids spent most of the day there last Saturday… getting somewhat sunburned.
    Finn… trying to decide whether to get in or not!


    Since I volunteer to mow the Mossytree lawns, I talked the board into getting a new tractor. 
    This one has a 61″ mowing deck and will really cut down on the time it takes to mow the five acres.
    Saturday while I was mowing, some of the grand-kids wanted to ride with Grandpa.
    This is Heather’s Oscar with me on my new “play-toy”.

    I have also been workingevery day on our remodel, opening up a door from our family room to the newkid’s play-room.  That room used to bethe hot-tub room, but with that sad story behind us, we decided we needed tomake good use of that room.  To get tothat room you either had to go outside from our family room and then in to that room by a sliding glass door,or go in from our bedroom.  Neither ofthose paths made turning that room into a room for the kids to play very attractive,so we decided to knock a door through the wall of the family room and make asmall hallway so entering the new room could be through that.  I have been trying to do most of the workmyself… and since I am not too experienced in framing, things were REALLYslow.  A friend of ours that doesremodeling lost his “real” job and said he would come and help me and that hasreally helped.  I will take this entryand post some pictures on my web for those of you that are interested.


    This shows where we had to remove a window in order to install a widow
    not quite as wide to make room for the new doorway to the hall


    Corner of Family Room before door was cut through.


    New doorway with new window on the left


    Framing in progress


    Working on the framing of the hallway.  New “play-room (old hot-tub room) is through the framing on the left.

     


    Left:  New hallway with door on left going into the play-room
    Right:  New hallway being closed in.


    Sub-flooring ready to go down


    Left:  West wall of play-room closed and covered with vapor barrier ready for siding.
    Right:  My grill is going along this wall, so I decided not to put the “Hardy” siding, but us a
    “Hardy” board instead so when  grease from cooking gets on the wall I can clean it.


    North wall of playroom all closed in and with siding (painting to come later).

    Well, I think this is enough for now.  Take care… all of you!

May 29, 2013

  • Memorial-Day Weekend

     I thought I would take a few minutes and tell you about our Memorial-Day weekend at Barton Park with family and friends… and also post some pictures. This Memorial-Day outing over  the long weekend has become a family tradition that we look forward to.  We used to go to our Thousand Trails out at the coast in Pacific City, but got so tired of fighting the traffic coming home on Memorial-Day Monday.  The Rickers (Josh and Jay’s parents) invited us to Barton Park the year that Leslie and their Josh got engaged, we decided to go there instead of the coast… and have been going there since and it has become quite a tradition for both families to be there over the Memorial-Day weekend.  It is close enough for us to go home and get things that we forget (and we ALWAYS forget something) and also close enough that we can go home on Sunday, shower and attend church.  This year Jenn, Taurean and family (Bentley, Jaidyn & Madison) came up from Richmond (UT) as well as Jeff & Becky from Maricopa AZ.  Shauna and Aaron John did not make it this year and me missed them a whole bunch.

    Jenn & Taurean arrived Thursday afternoon, so the family all got together to visit with them on Thursday evening.


    Left:  Judy Lynn, Taurean (soaking his ingrown toenail) & Jenn
     Right:  Jay & Heather(only her back)  with Otis, Jenn, Leslie’s back, Judy Lynn & Josh with Truman


    Me with Heather’s Otis and Leslie’s Truman — Finn, Bentley & Sawyer with their “electronic” toys.

    Chad had come over on Thursday and helped me pack the trailer with all the toys and equipment that we take along with us to the campout, so on Friday we had to just finish packing food and last-minute things.


    Trailer with playground equipment, bikes & other “toys” and equipment.
    (Another reason we like camping at Barton… close to home)

    We got out to Barton Park mid-afternoon on Friday and we were one of the first ones there.  I drove the motorhome, Taurean drove the pickup with the trailer, Jenn drove the Denali and Judy Lynn drove the Terrain.  We could have done without the Terrain out there, but Judy Lynn had to go pick up Jeff and Becky from the airport a little later, so going out ended up being quite a train (with the “Terrain”…. no pun intended).
     
    Left:  Teri Lynn and my “pop-up” tent in the background
    Right:  Pop-up cover over table, Chad, Chase & Cort’s tent, and the pop-up cover over the playground equipment.

    Friday night was “Steak night” and everyone brought their own steaks and I cooked them on my grill.  Dinner lasted a LONG time since we cooked as folks arrived, got their camp setup and then came to eat.  Judy Lynn went to get Jeff & Becky at the airport and had a heck of a time getting them.  First the traffic on the Friday afternoon before the long weekend, and then their plane was late.  Judy Lynn took them out to Todd and Jacki’s so Jeff could help Todd get all of his things loaded.  He is the one that brings the HUGE tent for all those that do not have a motorhome or trailer.  They did not get set up until nearly dark… but that was okay.  Since everyone else was setup, when they got there, they had lots of willing help to get the tent up.


    Two covers over the two table where we sit to eat
    Right:  Looking down the road at the “campers”


    Left: Our “old” Denali that Jenn and Taurean purchased from us, with Todd’s tent in background (can’t see how HUGE it really is)
    Right:  Todd’s truck and borrowed trailer


    Les and Josh’s MH — The Rickers covers for the potluck on Sunday

    Craig and Edie’s campsite

    For breakfast on Saturday morning I cooked bacon, sausage, pancakes and eggs (to order).  Cocoa and orange juice to drink.  Saturday morning Les and Josh had their little soccer team come down to the park for their game and they ended up letting just about any little kid that wanted to play soccer join the teams at one point or another.
     
    Kids playing soccer — Parents & spectators watching the game


    Reese & Finn  — Judy Lynn, Leslie & Finn (Heather top-right)

    The Clackamas River is down below the camping area, and the kids found some water to play in.


    Gwen, Finn & Jaidyn — Royal, Gwen, Jaidyn, Oscar & (the back of ) Finn


    Kids never seem to get tired of playing in water.

    Later the pavement made for GREAT drawing

    Teri Lynn with Oscar, Gwen, Jaidyn & Jenn’s friend Julie’s Jacqueline


    Oscar, Jaidyn, Finn & ?? — Julie, Abby ,Jacqueline, Teri Lynn, Oscar, Jaidyn, Finn & ??

    Oscar & Jaidyn

    Breakfast Sunday morning.  We usually don’t fix breakfast, but with our Sacrament meeting not until 2:00, we had plenty of time.

    Hashbrowns partially cooked — bacon and Sausage (no picture of the French Toast and eggs)

    Dutch-Oven Orange-rolls ready for cooking


    Cooking area Setup

    Now for some just random pictures

    Todd’s Jackie — Mary Beth’s friend ??,  Brian & Mary Beth


    Reese in the little play area.


    Rick, Jay, Leslie, Abby — “Folks”


    Todd, Becky — Dave & Jeff

     
    Edie Richey, with Brian McCann and Edie’s “students”


    Randy, Teri Lynn and Roger (me) — Jenn & Madison (with hat that Heather made for Madi)

    Josh showing Reese how to ride the “Strider” -  What Reese’s hair looks like without her helmet


    Kevin w/Preston — Judy Lynn, Becky & Monica (Jacki’s sister)


    Todd & Jacki’s Avie — Jaidyn & Gwen


    Jaidyn & Gwen


    Left: Dave & Erin (Lindthorst), Lauren & Rick (Enoch), Heather & Jay
    Right: Sisters Heather and Jenn (don’t know what baby because they exchange kids all the time)


    Left:  Brian and Monica’s Chase, Cort (our) Chase, Finn & Chad
    Right:  Jacki & Todd — Kevin & Hailey


    Leslie & Truman — Hey Reese, your helmet is on crooked!


    Me & Jaidyn — ??. Aunt Monica with Avie


    Bentley, Jaidyn & Sawyer — Jeff & Becky


    In our motorhome pooped from the day (Bentley and Jaidyn)


    Easy-over eggs… coming up. Mary Beth, Brian, Jay — Cooking the eggs and French toast


    Game of Volleyball — Brian & Jacki

     
    Oscar


    We thought about taking a picture, but not before most everyone had left, to this is just part of the “crowd”
    If you go to Facebook and find this picture, many of the folks are “tagged”.

    When we got back home on Monday, we “Hung-out” and here are some pictures of family.

    Pizza for dinner
    Jaidyn, Reese, Gwen, Oscar, Bentley & Sawyer


    Heather & Todd with kids on the trampolines



    Heather with Gwen & Jeff with Jaidyn

    Now some family pictures


    We had all fifteen of our grandchildren here… and here they are
    Chase holding Truman & Oscar, Finn, Jaidyn, Cort holding Otis & Chad holding Reese & Madison
    Judy Lynn, Quinn, Avie, Gwen, Sawyer Bentley and PROUD GRANDPA



     




    Jeff and me while the girls were taking the pictures

    Well that is about it for today.  My thanks to all of my family and friends who work to make this outing such and “event” every year.  Special thanks to Jenn and Taurean for driving up here for the weekend.


    Bentley & Jaidyn all buckled in for their ride back to Utah

    The “taillights” of the Denali way down there as they left for home.

    Jeff and Becky are driving to Oakland (Oregon where Becky is from) tomorrow (Thursday).  Becky will stay there with her parents for a week, Jeff comes back here and flies out this weekend to get back to work.  We love having our family here. 

    GREAT WEEKEND!!  Thanks everybody… for making it so!

May 18, 2013

  • Mother’s Day in Gresham

    I thought I would take a couple of minutes and post some pictures I took on Mother’s Day.  It was a good day… fun to have family and friends over and spend some time visiting and eating good food.  We had 28 people coming over to celebrate mostly family, but Judy Lynn invited Jill (Jill works with Judy Lynn in the library at church), Edie and Craig (Edie and Craig are good friends and Edie is my Choir Director in my calling as Ward Music Chairman.  Kelly came after his work at Lowe’s. I BBQed chicken legs and the rest of the food was brought by family… oh… except Judy Lynn made her brownies that the family likes so well, brownies baked in her Silpat that makes them like small cup-cakes and not mushy and messy to eat. 


    Quite a stack of chicken legs on the grill

    Folks started arriving at around 6:00and lots stayed until nearly 9:00, so we had a good time. Judy Lynn made a card for me to give to her (but I did write a nice note) and I gave her some money so she could buy something. I hoped she would buy herself some clothing, shoes, or something like that, but she says she is going to use it to buy some more Stamp-in Up stamps… and if that is what she wants, that is okay with me.

     
    Left:  Judy Lynn, Finn, Heather, Chad
    Right: Teri Lynn’s face, Jay, Chase, Judy Lynn (Todd and Leslie in background)

     

       
    Jacki, Leslie with Truman, Todd and Finn

     
    Left: Reese (just fell down), Quinn (Hidden by her sister Avie), and Sawyer helping Reese
    Right:  Finn, Avie, Quinn & Reese (fallen down)

     
    Grandkids having a ball on the trampolines… even in the light sprinkling of rain

    Not much has gone on this week. The weather has turned off a little cooler… in the 60s and low 70 during the daytime with a few sprinkles, but not really much rain. Last night I met with a next-door neighbor(well in back of my house in the cul-de-sac that is back there) over at the Mossytree pool-house. We are having to put in a new card-security system. The one we have had there is REALLY old and just stopped working. In order for homeowners to get into the rec-room and then to the pool, they have to use a card system. That way we can monitor who is going in and using the pool as we don’t want folks outside our neighborhood to be in there. This also limits the availability of the pool to anyone that is not current with their dues. Jared(his name) does security for his work and profession with Xerox, so he is getting the equipment for us and helping us put it in. The equipment came in yesterday and we want to open up the pool for Memorial-Day weekend so we need to get hopping to get it installed by then… since it is just a week away.

    The weather has turned of a little cooler and we have had a little rain… not much, just enough that I have not had to water the garden or any of the lawns.  So I have spent a little time working on my hot-tub room to play-room conversion, but BOY is it going SLOW.  As I mentioned last post, I do not know what I am doing when it comes to framing, so I go out and look, think for a LONG time and then MAYBE pound a board into place.  Where I am mostly stuck is where I am going to break the hole in the NE corner of our family room to go out and in to the playroom.  So far on that part, I have just torn things apart.  I am making some headway on the north wall and have the west wall mostly framed.  But it SCARES ME TO DEATH to start tearing into things for fear that I will goof.  I have already goofed a couple of times, but tearing too much wall out of the house would certainly be a problem to have to put back together.  Here are some pictures of the progress… or lack there-of.


    North Wall of room being covered with the OSB boards.
    (I had Chad come over and help me hold the panels until I got them fastened)

     
    With the hole for the window

     
    Starting to cut around the family room window that will be smaller and has to be moved about 6″ to the west.
    This is the part that is scary for me.

     
    West wall of room – almost done framing.  Doorway into family room will be off to the right where you see the bucket.
    I don’t dare finish the framing here until I figure out how far to come out with the hallway so I can connect the walls.
    Here is where I waste so much time THINKING!  I am certainly glad that I am not paying myself by the hour.

    Lastly, here is a picture of Judy Lynn on Mother’s day Showing off the pearl necklace and bracelet that Jeff brought her from Singapore.

    That’s all for today folks!

     

May 12, 2013

  • May Family Letter (and more)

    May, 2013
    Dear Family,
    It is late and I just got home from celebrating recent birthdays with a party at one of our local pizza joints. It was a party for Heather (April 30th), Josh (May 4th),(Star-wars day… May the 4th [force] be with you), Reese  (May 13th) and Cort (May 14th).  We reserved a room at the place and filled up the entire room.  They have pizza (and nice salads) and lots of gaming for the kids, so the kids love going there.  And while the kids are “playing” (until the quarters run out) the adults gab (and fuss, pass back and forth, and take care of little babies (Otis & Truman). Fun times.


    Reese starting to open her gifts


     


     Got a picture of Cort and Josh in the background, but somehow missed Heather
    Left: Cort with Sawyer, cousin Dustin & Finn / Right: Reese w/Josh holding Truman and Jacki

    We have been having absolutely perfect weather for the past three weeks.  I have my entire garden in and everything (except the corn… must have been some bum seed) is coming up and lookin’ good.  In all the years I have lived up here I have never been able to be this far ahead with the garden this time of the year.  I have even had to water the garden and lawns already.  The other day I went over to the park and cranked up the well over there and started watering the park also.  I have always spent my time cranking up the watering system and checking for leaks during the annual park cleanup (which is tomorrow this year).  But this year I had to do it a couple of weeks early.

     

    Left: Tomato Plants (Peas climbing the fence in the background)
    I decided to plant the radishes a little different this year to see if I can get some.  Planted in a
    row the bugs get at them and plant their eggs and get to the radishes before they are ready for us to pick. 
    This way I can treat the plants more openly.


     
    Kelly brought home a grape plant to see if we can get some going. 
    The last one I tried years ago did not make it!


    Okay Brent, the “plant” has made it.  What do I do with it now?
    (Can’t even remember what it was… Dewberry?)

    Yesterday (May 9th) afternoon I went out to Todd’s and run the tractor up and down the rows of our trees with the sub-soil attachment.  Todd had already tilled them and they are looking pretty good.  I took some pictures and will post them along with this letter on my blog.


    The little Kabota tractor Todd Borrowed to do the sub-soil work. 
    My tractor is too big to get into the rows.


    Trees are looking pretty good

    We are just hoping that the weather holds for a couple of weeks so we will have good weather for our annual Barton Park outing.  Jeff and Becky & Jenn and Taurean are all coming up, so we are hoping the weather will hold.  I will report next month how that goes.  Aaron said that he was going to try to come,but we have not heard from him lately, so don’t know whether that will happen or not.  We are excited to have all (or at least… most) of the family here and all together. 

    We have been busy getting our motorhome business lined up for the summer rental season and are not doing so well. I have had three motorhome leave the fleet and have been having trouble replacing them.  I sold our 31’ Conquest and when I went to replace it, I found out that the company I have been doing business with since starting the business back in 1998 has stopped manufacturing motorized RVs and only sell travel trailers, so I have been trying to establish a relationship with a new company and have not been having a lot of luck.  We did have the Phaeton go out this past week on a rental so that always helps getting some revenue coming in to take care of the expenses of getting things going again for the summer.

    I have been trying to find a weekend to drive to Idaho to see Mom sometime in May, but have not been able to work that in yet.  It is only two weeks until Memorial-Day, so I don’t have a lot more options.  It is crazy how time flies and the weeks just seem to fill up.  I remember Dad saying how busy he was after he retired and I did not understand that at all… but now I certainly do.  I keep thinking things will slow down.  I wonder if that will ever happen.

    Here are just a few more random pictures that I have collected the past few days/weeks.


    The Azaleas and Rodies (Rhododendron) are in bloom.
    Lovely!

    Back in the early 1970, not long after Judy Lynn and I were married, I got the (not so) bright idea to buy a little motorbike so that I could ride it to work and save some money on gas.  At the time I still had my 1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport (hot-rod) and it used A LOT of gas.  So I looked for a long time and finally found this used bike that was relatively new.  Loran Hirschi lived up here at the time and lived just through a church-yard away.  He also had a motorbike and we worked at the same place (Hyster) which was a 25-mile drive in to Portland.  The big day came and we mounted our bikes and took off… and that was a one-time deal.  Driving down the Banfield freeway with other cars going 70MPH around me SCARED ME TO DEATH and that was the end of that!

    The next idea for it’s use was to teach Judy Lynn to ride a motorbike and then purchase another one and “we” could go riding.  Grant and Colleen Widmer both had bike and I just thought that would be fun.  So one day I took Judy Lynn out in the back of our first home (first mistake) and was going to teach her to ride the bike (second mistake).  Although it was a relatively small bike, it was still to heavy for Judy Lynn and when it started to tip, she could not keep it standing up.  In the process teaching her in the confines of the back yard, the telephone rang and I left her alone riding while I went inside to answer the telephone (no portable phones back then).  While I was answering the telephone, Judy Lynn went to stop and twisted the throttle the wrong way and the bike took off and she and the bike went crashing into the side of the house.  Something hit her upper lip and when I got to her she had a nice little cut that was bleeding.  Now here is where our stories about the incident part.  My story is that I carefully took care of her, loaded her into the car, took her to the hospital where she received a few stitches.  Her story differs in that she says I pulled her off the bike and told her not to bleed on my new bike!  Then when we got to the hospital and the doctor was stitching… then was when she needed my comfort and concern, and I had to leave to keep from fainting.  That last part about the fainting is true, but the rest of it is just a story she like to tell.

    We took the bike to Malad with us in the early 80s and used it quite a bit then, but when we moved back to Gresham in 1986 we left the bike there.  A few years ago after Jeff purchased his home in Maricopa, we got the bike to him and he is in the process of restoring it.  Although it was running when we stored it in Malad, I did not drain the gas, etc., so the carburetor was all gummed up and Jeff has had to do a lot of work to get it going again.  But this past week he finally got it going and sent this picture.


    Jeff and “my” bike.

     
    Gwen with her new little brother Otis


    After Trunan’s blessling in April, the Rickers (Josh and Jay’s Parents) had some family and friends over.
    Corinne came and here she is holding Reese with Leslie looking on.

    This past week Les and Josh found this play-set on Craig’s List.  I hooked John Ricker’s trailer behind my pickup and went with Josh to pick it up one day on his way to work.  They put it together yesterday and sent these picture.  When I was visiting my Mom in March and Leslie and Kids went with me, one day I was left with the older kids while “the girls” went shopping.  Jenn and Taurean have a play-structure similar to this one and the kids played the entire time on that thing, so believe it will be a good investment.  Here are a couple of pictures of Reese and her new “play-toy”.  Looks happy doesn’t she.


    Reese and Finn Playing on their new play-structure.

    Yesterday (May11th) was our Mossytree (development we live in) annual cleanup.  To keep our homeowners association dues down, we do a lot of the work ourselves.  We have five acres, three in one park and two in another.  We have a pool and a rec room, a basketball court, horseshoe pits, and pathways all they way through both of them.  I do most of the mowing of the lawns year around and the watering (we have our own well) mostly during the summer months.  Yesterday I mowed the entire five acres and picked up all the grass and leaves that the folks racked out of the burms and flower-beds.  It took me about six-hours to mow and pick it all up.  I completely filled that big trailer of mine that we had put some 4′ high temporary sideboards up front and on the sides.  But… the parks do look nice.  I forgot to take some pictures so you will just have to take my word for it.


    John Deere tractor with “Material Collection System”
    It work GREAT!

    When I got home from the park I got in my pickup and went out to Todd and Jacki’s to help Todd for a while.  He also has about five acres and with all that yard and the trees we have growing, he gets a little behind sometimes.  So I got on his little JD tractor and mowed his lawns while he tilled the trees where I had sub-soiled earlier in the week.


    Todd’s back of his property.  I mowed clear back to those trees past the green shed in the background. 
    I did not “catch” the grass though so that made it go lots quicker.


    While I was mowing, Todd was tilling.  Here is is turning around and heading back into the rows of trees.


    Not much progress with the hot-tub to play-room conversion.  Here I started tearing into the side of the wall of the house
    where the door into the family room will eventually be.


    OOPS, there wasn’t suppose to be an electrical wire there!  I was up on a ladder sawing with and it is a wonder I did not get knocked on my tush!  I have found where the wire comes from but still have now found what it feeds.  All outlets and lights I have tried still seem to have power.  I will investigate more as I tear more things apart around this area.

    One day when I was going out to the farm store to pick up plants and seeds, I took Gwen with me.  Cort had gone with me earlier but he was nearly as “cute” as he looked at the little chickens, ducks, rabbits, etc. that they have for sale there.  Gwen was just so fascinated with the little animals.


    Gwen looking at the young chicks.

    I think that is about it for this update.  I hope that this letter finds you all well and happy.  But last of all I want to wish all the Mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day.  Enjoy your special day… and to my Mom, I love you and will be thinking about you all day.

    Jeff and Becky sent these flowers to Judy Lynn

     

    Love to you all,

    Judy Lynn & Roger

April 28, 2013

  • April Update

    When last I updated this blog, Heather & Jay’s Otis had arrived.  Just about the time I think that life will slow down, something else comes up that just keeps life exciting and interesting.  Here is a brief synopsis of just some of those “events”.

    Josh and Leslie chose April 14th to bless little Truman in Church because his Uncle Jade was here in Oregon for the weekend from BYU Rexburg on his way to work in California for the summer.  Josh gave a beautiful blessing with many promises for little Truman.  After the blessing, Todd’s Jacki took a bunch of pictures for Josh and Les.  Here are a few of them.


    Josh, Truman & Leslie


    Leslie & Truman

     
    Josh & Truman


    Reese, Sawyer, Finn & Truman — Finn & (a not so happy) Truman… “What’s with all these pictures?”


    And here is the whole family… HANDSOME GROUP!

    Kirk & Vynette’s Corinne returned home from her mission in Brazil last month and I posted some pictures of the homecoming.  Last Sunday Corinne spoke in her home ward and I went to listen.  She is such a humble little gal and she gave a very nice talk and message.  After Sacrament meeting we had this picture taken.  I am so proud of Corinne.  She will be speaking in our ward today (28th) so we will all get to hear her.  Too many kids to get ready for a 9:00 AM church meeting for the family to hear her last week.


    Corinne & “Uncle” Roger


    Judy Lynn and I ended up taking Finn to church two weeks ago.  I think we did a pretty good
    job of tending… do ya think?  (This is one way to make Sacrament meeting go by a little faster!)


    Quinn, Reese & Avie  –  Reese, Avie & Oscar
    Josh was out of town and the “the family” wanted pizza… so “I” was specifically invited… to help keep track of Reese.
    Here she is with some of her cousins.


    Interesting how interesting a kid can make a meal!
    Gwen eating


    Sawyer stayed the night again, so I cooked him an egg.
    (Note where the fork stayed while he was eating)
    (But like I used to say… “Fingers were invented LONG before the fork!)


    Raspberry and Blueberry bushes coming right along.  Lots of blossoms… which hopefully means an abundant crop this year.


    April 27th, planting day.  Garden all tilled and raked level for planting.


    Teri Lynn LOVES to plant garden (not one of my favorite things to do).  So Teri Lynn helps me plant and I “tend” the
    garden after planting.  Sounds like a deal to me.
    Gwen helping Aunt “Twoie” plant.  Thanks for your help guys!


    Cort, Teri Lynn & Kelly (Kelly was supervising)
    But he did bring us a grape plant from where he works at Lowe’s and we planted that.  We will see how that does.  Last time I planted a grape plant… it DIED!


    Gwen “in heaven” in the dirt after planting.  She played there  for a very LONG time!
    Where she is playing will eventually have tomatoes planted… so have fun while you can. 
    I get the tomato plants next week.


    Work on “play-room” going VERY SLOW.  Can’t see working under cover while the weather has been
    so nice.  More fun to work in the yard.  I tell Judy Lynn I am saving this project for working when it is raining.
    Here… as posted before, the windows have been removed.


    I started to do the framing (on left) and the “building foreman” (Judy Lynn) informed me that I had made my first mistake
    with the project, that I had framed right past where the window was supposed to go.  So the picture on the right has corrected
    that error (probably not the last one… since I don’t have a clue of what I am doing).

    I guess that is all for this post.  The May family letter will be coming in a little over a week.  I will post some more stuff then.

April 10, 2013

  • April Family Letter

    Dear Family,
    For once when I sat down to write this month’s letter I did not have to sit and wonder what it was that I was going to write about.  For those of you who follow some of my family on Facebook you will know by now that Heather gave birth to little Otis yesterday.  They were scheduled to have him on Monday, but early that morning the hospital called and delayed things for one day… I think too many gals went into labor and there wasn’t enough staff or enough room for Heather.  So then Heather was to be in the hospital at 6:30 AM yesterday and the “process”took all day, but Otis finally arrived at just a few minutes before 11:00 PM our time.  As nervous father and grandpa was waiting all day… not so patiently I might add, it crossed my mind that maybe Otis would arrive on my Mom’s Birthday which is today (April 10th),but I REALLY wanted the baby to just come, so missing Mom’s Birthday was just okay with me.  Otis weighed in at eight pounds, twelve ounces… a pretty good sized baby for Heather being induced one week early. 


    Heather & Otis with Leslie looking on – PROUD Jay, Heather and little Otis

    Aunti Teri with Otis

    Gwen and Oscar spent the night with us last night and Chad stayed hereto help me since Judy Lynn wanted to be over at the hospital for the actual birth.  Heather had invited Judy Lynn,Teri Lynn and Leslie to be there for the birth.  Judy Lynn LOVES being there with her daughters and I know that Teri Lynn was so happy for the invitation because this one was the first she could just watch.  Thanks Heather for making the ladies happy.  When I finish this letter I will post some pictures on my blog for those of you that would like to see them. 


    Keeping Oscar and Gwen happy (It only takes food for Oscar)


    Gwen is a little more difficult.  Here is her “birdhouse” and she climbed on top and said she was “the bird”
    On the right she has my iPad that she got on to NetFlix all by herself.

    It is mid-day on Wednesday as I am writing this and Judy Lynn, Chad, Gwen, Oscar and I just got back from the hospital where Gwen and Oscar got to see their new little brother for the first time.  Gwen was so excited… some to see little Otis… but a WHOLE BUNCH to see her Mommy and Daddy.  I can tell that she misses them,but she was so cute this morning to thank her Grandma for letting her stay the night.   While we were there Leslie came with three of her kids, Jay’s Brother Jordan was there with his wife Shanna and their less than one-month old daughter Lucy.  But also while we were there Jay’s two sisters came so Heather’s hospital room was full.  But Heather really looked good and did not look like she had been through a birth process,but I guess once little Otis got positioned correctly, Heather only had to push once.  So we are proud of Heather and Jay for making Judy Lynn and I proud grandparents again.  And a BIG thanks to Chad for his help with Gwen and Oscar.  He was a huge help with Oscar and Oscar really loves his BIG cousin.


    Left:  Gwen & new little baby brother Otis.  She was excited
    Right:  I think Oscar and Gwen missed their Mom

     
    Oscar not quite so excited to be by his little brother!


    Three-week old Lucy (Jay’s brother Jordan and Shanna’s baby) with one-day old Otis
    Otis with Finn, Shanna & Leslie looking on


    Otis with Grandma and Grandpa


    No room to sit down, so I sat down and my buddy Finn came and sat with me.


    Truman, Lucy & Otis  & Otis in his new little outfit


    A BUNCH of Rickers
    Finn, Lucy, Truman, Otis, Gwen, Reese & Oscar


    Keeping kids entertained in a hospital takes some electronics.
    Reese & Oscar on chair.  Finn standing

    Today is my Mom’s 83rd Birthday and I wish that I could be there to give her a BIG LLOONNGG hug on her special day.  I received a text with a picture from Maxine and it looks like she got her cake, some flowers and I see some cards there.  


    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

    I really planned on trying to be down in St. Charles for her birthday, but Heather and Jay did not ask about my plans when they decided to have a baby around that time.  So in late March, Leslie and I loaded up her four kids and headed out for a mini-vacation for them.  Leslie’s Josh was going to be tied up with his work 24-7 while he worked on a project, so Leslie decided that since Josh was not going to be home, she just as well go with me to Idaho.  She could visit with her Sister Jenn and family while I spend some time with my Mom.    

    We left Gresham on a Friday and traveled all day, but arrived in Richmond safely and was really happy with how Leslie’s kids traveled.  We had to stop a couple of times and let them eat and run around a bit, but I thought it was a good trip.We spent Friday night with Jenn, Taurean and family and on Saturday I caught a ride with Maxine from Logan to go to St. Charles (Thank you Maxine!).  I spent time with Mom on Saturday, cooked her breakfast and then in the evening I (watched her TV shows with her).

     


    Breakfast for mom.  LOTS of bacon, easy-over eggs and pancakes.

    On Sunday I took her to Church and Maxine invited Mom, Dallas and me over for Sunday Dinner at her place in Paris (Theresa was having trouble with her back and could not go with us).  Monday I spent the morning with Mom and then used Dallas’ truck (thanks Dallas) to drive over to Maxine where she fed us again and then we also watched“Les Miserables” on DVD with her.  I had never seen the play, read the book or seen the movie, so I was glad that Maxine was there to tell me what the story was all about.  I don’t enjoy seeing poverty and ugly scenes that depict how awful us humans can be to each other, but I did enjoy the movie…I think mostly because Maxine was there to help me make sense of it.  Several years ago Judy Lynn and I were invited to go to the opera “Phantom of the Opera” and I COULD NOT figure the plot of the opera, so I eventually just sat back and enjoyed the music.  So this experience was MUCH better thanks to Maxine.


    Mom all “dudded” up for church. 

    On Tuesday I drove Mom over to Richmond and she spent the day with Jenn and Les and all their kids.  I was worried that Mom would get tired and want to leave and go home, but she did great, just watched and talked to her great-grand -children and I was glad they could get to know her better.  Brent and Jan came over for a while to visit with us and that was nice.  On the way to Bear Lake to take Mom, we all went to the Golden Corral to eat so that I could get my fill of yummy shrimp.  A trip to Idaho/Utah would not be complete if I did not get a good meal with shrimp.  I took Mom back to St. Charles and spent the night with her and then caught a ride back to Logan with Dallas and Theresa.  Theresa were going to Logan so Theresa could tend Rick and Amanda’s kids while Amanda went to her doctor, one of the last ones before their baby was due to come.  While Theresa was doing that, Dallas ran me to Richmond.   Thank you Dallas and Theresa for that ride back to Logan and for the use of your truck on Tuesday. 


    Right: The lawn I mowed just before leaving for Idaho
    Left:  Mom’s yard.  Doesn’t look like I will be mowing that lawn any time soon.


    Bear Lake STILL frozen over


    Left:  Visiting with Mom
    Right:  We all walked to Bentley’s school to get him


    Bentley and Reese playing out front of Jenn’s

      
    Jaidyn & Reese on Tramp -  Jaidyn and Finn on swings


    Bentley helping Reese down the slide with Jenn watching – Finn just “Hangin” there in the swing.


    When they are tired of playing outside, this is a little less strenuous.


    Leslie, Jenn, Brent, Jan
    Roger & Mom


    Golden Corral – Notice the chocolate fountain in back of Sawyer and Bentley… quite a hit!

    Wednesday night I drove in to Brent and Jan’s and spent the evening having Brent show me that program that their kids had given them for Christmas, Ancestry.com.  I wanted to know more about it and what I thought would only take a few minutes ended up being an all-evening adventure because I got so interested in what I was doing and the information that I was finding. We left of Thursday for the day-long drive back to Oregon. 
    Thanks Jenn and Taurean for putting us all up and for the fun visit.  Once again I thought that the kids did really well and it was a good trip back. 

    The Thursday evening before we left Oregon we went over to Kirk and Vynette’s to an open-house for Corrine as she returned that day from her Mission in Brazil.  Corinne looked GREAT and she sounded like she really enjoyed her mission.  It was also fun to spend time with family.  Corinne, we are so proud of you.  Again, for those who want to go to my blog, I will post some pictures there.


    Douglas, Corinne & Kirk  — Josh, Vynette & Kirk


    Corinne giving Grandma Garna a hug after 18 months… then Doug got one too


    Corinne & Aunt Judy Lynn — Leslie, Corinne & Judy Lynn


    Cortney, Olivia, Kenny, Corinne & Kyle
    Judy Lynn, Leslie, Corinne, Garna & Kirk


    Kelly with Truman & Reese  — Chad with Reese (have to pass her around some!)

    Spring is arriving in Oregon… only interrupted by frequent rainstorms.  I have had to mow the lawns this year since almost every month because we never had a frost hard enough to cause the lawns to freeze and turn grey, so they just kept growing.  I caught a period in-between spring showers to till my garden.  I will wait until later in April to plant, waiting for the first batch of weeds to sprout so that I can till them under and that seems to lessen the weeds I have to deal with after planting.  We have had flowers blooming all month and things are so pretty and colorful.  I love spring.


    Garden plot after tilling and before.


    Raspberries and blueberries starting to come alive


    Peas I planted in February


    With the saga of the hot tub over, we have decided to turn the hot-tub room into a playroom.
    I took the windows out and will replace them with a couple of insulated windows.
    More info on this as I get the work done.

    I hope that this letter finds you all well and happy and that you find that life is good. 
    Love to you all,  Judy Lynn & Roger

March 11, 2013

  • March Family Letter

    Dear Family,

    I have been sitting here trying to think of what you might be interested in hearing from up north and have not come up with much.  For some reason we always seem to be busy and never seem to have enough time to get everything that we want (or are supposed to get done).  But how much of it is exciting enough to write down is another issue.

    We are all doing well.  I think that Leslie is almost back to “normal” as can be expected with the addition of a fourth child… and yes… another boy, although Truman seems to be a really good little baby… unlike his older sister was… who has started her”terrible-twos” somewhat early as she is quite a hand full.

    We had Quinn’s 6th birthday in January and of course we had to “party some”


    Quinn and her Mom Jacki

    and Qwen’s Birthday in February


    Quinn blowing out the candles in hour cupcake

    Heather is “blossoming” nicely and is thinking that she will have her baby about a week early on about the 8th of April. As most of you have probably figured out, because of the expected arrival of Heather’s baby (Otis) and us wanting to be here for that, our usual trip to Idaho/Utah/Arizona has been canceled for the second year in a row (last year because Judy Lynn was still not strong enough with her hot-tub lung problem… more on that below).  We are anxious for the arrival of another grandchild and hope and pray that all goes well for mother, son (and… father)

    As I posted on Facebook, Judy Lynn was finally taken off of oxygen at night in February and we were able to get rid of the oxygen generator… FINALLY.  So Judy Lynn has been on oxygen for just a little over a year.  She has been off it during the daytime for several months. At the time a year ago January if you would have told Judy Lynn and I that it was going to take that long for her lungs to heal, we would have been so discouraged… and I guess that is why they didn’t tell us.  Todd told us once that in some of his reading that healing from that lung problem took months and months, but at the time we did not think about that because the doctors did not give us any indication that it might take that long.  But going through this one day at a time has been a help to our moral.

    Spring is starting to poke it’s pretty head up here. I have had to mow the lawns twice already and they are pretty and green.  Our tulips are about 6″ out of the ground along with some of the other flowers that Teri Lynn planted that I never remember their names.  The blueberry bushes are budding along with the raspberry bushes.  Todd said he was able to till his garden on Saturday, but my garden spot is still way to wet.  I did plant my peas in February and they are coming out of the ground.



    Lawn Mowed and bush all trimmed

    I hope to be making another trip down to visit Mom in the next few weeks.  It could be the week before Easter, but I have not put that trip together yet.  As I said at the beginning of this letter, so much of “nothing” going on that I don’t have as much time as I think I need to get things I want to get done.

    A few more pictures:


    Hot-tub loaded up and leaving (Sad, sad day… but glad it is finally gone!)

    Also sold the Conquest.  Picture is of it driving away  Now to decide whether to replace it.


    Finn, (Kevin & Hailey’s) Carter & Gwen



    Gwen and Oscar on the Trampoline


    Finn & Reese


    Hey boots… where are you going with that little girl (Reese)

    I hope this letter find you all well and happy. As for us, we are truly blessed.

    Love from Judy Lynn and Roger

February 14, 2013

  • Good News

    After more than a year, Judy Lynn’s doctor has finally released her from the use of Oxygen.  She has been off of it during the daytime for some time now, but has continued to have to sleep with it.  Finally last Monday the GOOD NEWS came that she does not need it any longer.  SO!


    GOODBYE OXYGEN GENERATOR

    We were glad you were around when we needed you, but now are very glad to see you go.

January 23, 2013

  • 45 Years Today

      45 Years Ago today


    Forty-Five years,
    eight GREAT children and
    14-3/4 Grandchildren Later
    I am a BLESSED MAN!


    Happy Anniversary to us!

January 11, 2013

  • January Family Letter

    It seems like it has been forever since I wrote a familyletter.  Then tonight as I was looking atXanga I realized that I never posted my family Christmas letter so many of youwill not know that we even made it home from SUNNY Arizona.  We finally left Arizona on the 4th December, took two days to make the trip and got home on Thursday the 6th.  That put us way behind for Christmas… puttingup decorations outside (me) and inside (Judy Lynn). We had Chad and Chase come over to help us andthat made it go a lot faster.


    These are the lights I put on the outside this year.  You can kinda see the Christmas tree that Judy Lynn decorated in the middle of the big front-room window.
    The picture on the right was taken after I mowed the lawn and picked up the remaining leaves on the 27th of January.
    Bet you couldn’t do that in Bear Lake… mow the lawn in December I mean!

    We had a good Christmas Season with family and friends.  We had three of our kids that live in Oregonaround for the entire holiday, but Todd, Jacki, Quinn and Avie flew to Tucsonto be with Jacki’s Dad this year for Christmas. We did the traditional Christmas morning, with the kids doingtheir thing and then when they were all finished with their own family Christmas, they all come over to our home to open whatgifts we had to exchange. 


    Left:  Heather’s face, Oscar, Gwen & Randy
    Right: Randy, Teri Lynn, Cort, Chad, Chase, Finn, Leslie, Josh, Reese & Sawyer


    Randy, Teri Lynn & Reese  -  Jay & Heather


    Chad, Chase, Reese & Leslie (BLOSSEMING)


    Then wehave the traditional fondue dinner that is always looked forward to byeveryone.

     
    Fondue meat cooking – The two kinds of cheese dips


    Cort, Leslie, Josh, Heather  -  Kelly & Judy Lynn


    Judy Lynn and I did not go “all out” thisyear like we did last year… remember that it was last year that we got eachother the hot-tub which has cause a lot of problems with Judy Lynn’shealth.  This year I got Judy Lynn andKindle Fire HD and she got me a new Samsung Galaxy SIII cell phone.  I am still trying to figure out many of thefeatures on that phone.  Many times Ihave to have Leslie’s 6-year old Sawyer coach me through things!

    Probably the most exciting even of the month… just today Leslie went into thehospital and had her fourth child and third son and our 14th Grandchild.  Right now his name is “NO NAME RICKER” asthey have not picked out a name for him yet.  He was 8 pounds 8 ounces and 21-1/2 inches long.  He has lots of long curly black hair and is acute little thing.  Remember that Lesliehas all of her children cesarean, so they do not come out all deformed  and hasa perfect shape right from the get-go.  We are so proud of Leslie and Josh and their “growing” family.  We are so glad to have them live close so that we can see them often… almost every day.



    Little “NO NAME” Ricker


    Proud Grandpa
    (Sorry no pictures of the proud Mom & Dad.  Pictures on other cameras and I did not have them available for this posting.)


    Leslie’s Birthday is on the 9th, so we had her “party” at Red Robin’s on Monday.
    I would go down and name everyone, but it would be too confusing, so I won’t.  Just know that we were all there.


    Yesterday I went and got both Sawyer and Quinn from school and brought them home to “PLAY”.
    In no time they had the family room looking like the picture on the left.  Every toy we have here for the kids to play with was out I am sure!


    While Les, Josh and Judy Lynn were all at the hospital this morning, I took care of Sawyer, Finn & Reese.
    I had a cartoon on and it kept Finn and Sawyer entertained, but Reese was just “doing her thing”.
    She hardly sits down for a minute.


    Before I could get Reese dressed, I had to take care of a REALLY BIG problem.
    My instructions to her last night was to not do that to Grandpa.  She must not have listened!


    Judy Lynn is feeling much better and went in yesterday for anotherlung x-ray and we are hoping that her doctor will let her come off her oxygenthat she has been on at night.  The doctor emailed usback today and instead of telling us that everything was okay and back to normal, he turned the tables on us and asked how she isfeeling.  We just wanted him to tell usto take her off the oxygen.  This correspondencewas via email and Judy Lynn does not like to communicate that way, so weemailed back and hopefully the doctor will call back and Judy Lynn can ask allher questions.

    The other news… on top of Leslie and Josh getting their fourth child this week,last Sunday he was sustained as Second Counselor in our ward Bishopric.  Leslie is just glad that we have lots offamily around to help her in Sacrament with all those kids.  But some of you are going through the samething and Judy Lynn did when I was first put in the Bishopric, so you will knowwhat I am talking about.


    I guess that is about all for this month. 
    Love to you all, Judy Lynn & Roger