Family Fun - Summer 07

An outing to the Dan River



We had a picnic before we got on the river.
Ethan, Adam, Logan, and Hannah sit around the table before we hit the cold water.

Our group after the innertubing adventure.

Family Fun - Summer 2007

This is what we've been up to lately...


An outing with everyone to Tucker Lake.
This is Kristen with Elise, Ian, and Merry Grace playing at the water's edge.

Adam on the ropes.

Adrian in a kayak on the lake.

Ethan, Jentrie, and Merry Grace

Those boys!

I was almost finished with that last post, when the printer started printing...only I wasn't printing anything. I figured Adam was on his laptop downstairs and was printing wirelessly, but when I asked the guys if they were printing, they said they weren't. So, I pulled out the plain white piece of paper and in small lower case letters were the words, "your time is up". Well, since no one here was printing, (even though in the back of my mind I thought it sounded like something the guys would write, like my computer time was up...), I assumed what any paranoid, tv-drama-watcher/Reader's-Digest-reader would assume...that someone was either stalking me or had taken over my computer! But trying to be reasonable, I called Adrian, who was on his way home, to ask if maybe he'd left a print job in the queue, but he hadn't, so now I'm locking doors and turning off the computer, when the boys run upstairs laughing, as the computer prints out, "Gottcha mom"...now that my heart has slowed down a little, great joke guys!

Clean, Clean, Clean

Clean, clean, clean, that seems to be about all I do these days! I have been on a cleaning and organizing spree and it's great to get so many things done, but is there ever an end?! I keep finding more to do! It seems that during the school year, when I'm working outside the home, that there isn't as much time to do some of these cleaning and organizing projects, but this summer things have worked out and I've been able to get a lot of good things done. Whew!!

And last, but not least, I LOVE being home more and getting to be with my family more for these couple of months in the summer! Yay for family!!

Lucy

Here is a picture taken not too long ago of Lucy, our labrador retriever, with Logan and 8bol.

A Loyal Friend

Lucy was a true and loyal friend and we will miss her. I remember when we got her as a puppy, how excited she was to meet us as she wiggled around on the basement floor... and now 14 years later it was time to say goodbye. Here are some of the things I remember about Lucy.



Her kind eyes.

The way she liked to stake out her spot on the front porch, usually in front of the door.

The way she loved to go down to the creek with us.

I remember the "pool" Logan made for her at the creek so she could have her own little spot to relax in. She loved to get in the water to cool off on a hot summer day.

The way she wanted to be with us. She liked to walk with us around the circle when we were taking a walk or to see the chickens.

I remember how she like to be with Adrian, how when we were walking to the creek she'd stop when he stopped and start again when he'd start.

I remember how she'd find a cool spot in the undergrowth at the creek, but would come out quickly when we were ready to go back up the hill to the house.

I remember how she'd bark at Ralph our cat when he sat on the front steps, just to let him know she had her eye on him.

I remember how she was good at catching food in her mouth when you'd toss it to her.

I remember she liked to protect and "mother" little animals.



I know there are more, but that's a few of the things I remember this afternoon, June 25. Our pets play an important role in our lives and I'm grateful to have had the chance to love this sweet old girl, our Lucy.



I remember her buddies Muffy and Whitey who have already gone on and hope they're having a happy reunion right now! And Bouncer, Spot, and Ralph, too; I hope they're there to greet her! And Milo, too...



It's been a sad year for us with our pets. We miss Milo, Kristen's little dog, and we also lost in the past year, Bouncer, Spot, and Ralph, and so many of our chickens (Princess, Captain Jack, Roofer, Chicken Little, Fancy, etc.) I remember how Ralph (the cat) came up as a little stray kitten and climbed up on the backs of our dogs to stay warm. I remember how Bouncer would stop and nuzzle under Adrian's hand to get him to rub her, especially under the neck. To all our faithful, furry and feathered friends, thanks for being our pets and for all the good memories. We love and miss you!

New Chicks in Town

Adrian is putting the chicks in the crate to take them in the chicken house where they'll be safer from the raccoons.

Here they are nestled in their little cubbies in the chicken house. They really are very cute!

Here you can see the gray chicken, who is one of two survivors of the raccoon attacks and some of our new chicks. Notice the grayish brownish one, third from the left...he/she is actually a turkey! So, we now have two hens from before the raccoons (Snowdrop and the gray one) and 15 new chicks and one turkey.
Any suggestions on names?

Grilling Anyone?

Does anyone have a great grilling recipe they like to use? I love to cook out (grill) in the summer and fall, especially, and wondered if anyone wanted to suggest something they like to do on the grill. We grill a lot of the typical foods, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, and occasionally steak, and it's pretty standard just-put-it-on-the-grill-and-cook-it style. I'm not really looking for anything fancy, maybe just a fresh idea. I saw a recipe online this morning for hoisin-honey-glazed pork with grilled pineapple that I think I could adapt and use...might be something different and tasty. Sometimes just a different sauce is fun to try, like with chicken to use not only barbecue, but also do some with lemon pepper or terriyaki. So, if you have any good ideas, feel free to share!

What a deal!

I love a bargain! What can I say?! It's hard to express the thrill I get from getting something at a great price! So, here's my deal of the day... It started yesterday when I stopped by Lowe's and saw that they had some flowers reduced on the clearance racks, also known by me as the "dead and dying" rack, but anyway, their six-pack flower trays were just a dollar, along with another little round pot, so I got four and thought I'd add a few more flowers around the house where I'd maybe skimped when I planted several weeks ago. After I'd made my purchase and got in my van to leave, I checked my receipt and saw that I didn't get the sale price on two of the flowers packs! (I know we're only talking a small amount of money here...okay, it was only about a dollar over...I was charged approx. $5.00 instead of $4.00.) But the thrill of a good deal is to actually get it! Today I had to take Logan to his orthodontist appointment which was right by Lowe's, so I dropped him off and went back to Lowe's. I did have to pick up some weed killer, but I also wanted to get my dollar back....I mean, what fun is it to get a bargain if you don't really get it! So, after I got my dollar back.... here's the even better deal I got when I went by the flower clearance racks.... they had reduced the flowers to 50 cents for a six-pack tray of flowers! I thought that was great and decided I'd just get a couple more. While I was picking them out...hang on to your seats!...the Lowe's sales person that was working in that area said, if you want 10, I'll give them to your for a dollar!! Of course, that's too good a deal to pass up, so I got 10 six-packs....(60 flowers) for only $1.00 total! How's that for a great deal! Just made my day! I do love a bargain!

This is a picture of the day lillies at our house. They grow wild and you see them along the road and other places this time of year. There is a small field of them below our house and I just love to look at them!

Grandma and the guys

Logan, Adam, and Grandma

Light Years Away

Have you ever been in a conversation and you weren't even sure you were all speaking the same language? Tonight I was in the middle of conversation like that. Adrian and Adam were discussing sound waves, light particles, and the like, and one would say something and the other one would know what he was talking about and say something like, "Yes, and then there's....." and the other one would go, "Right, and have you thought about...." and so on and so forth. Who else but Adam and Adrian would know such details?! Well, they were certainly on the same wave length, but I was light years away!

Tragedy at the Jarrell Farm

Adam and Logan spent at least a couple of hours reinforcing the chicken pens yesterday and Adrian had gotten some of the materials for an electric fence to put up. Adrian set a couple of traps and we had all been down there trying to make the area secure for our chickens, but evidently we are no match for the vicious nighttime marauders! It seems that we have at least another raccoon, and maybe several. This morning as Adrian was getting ready for work and Adam and I were getting ready to leave for Winston for his appointment with the oral surgeon to have his wisdom teeth removed, the guys went to the chicken pens and found several chickens dead and a raccoon still in the pen! While Adam tried to get to the house to get a gun, the critter managed to get away. I am just heartsick over the loss of Princess, Captain Jack, Roofer, Chicken Little, and our big Rooster. To some they probably just seem like a bunch of chickens, but they had names and personalities and we enjoyed hearing them cackle and crow and watch them scratch about and do all their chicken stuff. Adrian has taken great care to watch over them and learn about raising chickens so we could have fresh eggs and be more self-sufficient. We all feel bad to lose so many of our chickens this week. We are now trying again to put our heads together and see if we can outsmart these raccoons! Logan has been working on some ideas this morning which include barbed wire, paintball guns, and BB guns....so we'll see what happens!

The Bandit

Something got into our chicken pen and got three of our chickens, then another night, one more disappeared. Adrian set traps to try and catch the bandit. Last night the creature got one more chicken and got caught! We had wondered if it would be a raccon, weasil, or maybe a fox...turns out, it was a raccoon. He shouldn't have killed our chickens, but he was only doing what raccoons do, so Adrian did the humane thing and took him about 5 miles away and released him into the woods. He looked really scared in the trap, so I'm glad he's free (and away from our chickens so they will be safe) and I hope he will lead a reformed life and stay away from chickens! I asked Adrian if he thought the raccoon selected his prey because he got three of the little banty (bantam) hens the first night and they are small, or if he thought the raccoon went after his prey at random. Adrian said he didn't know the mind of the raccoon, but offered that we might check out a raccoon profiler to answer that question! :)

Mother's Day Activities

We enjoyed a Mother's Day dinner prepared by Adrian. Grandma Delia and Grandma Jarrell ate with us (Adrian and I, and Adam and Logan) along with Trula and Verna. We visited outside on the deck and opened presents.

Adrian and Trula enjoyed a trip to see the chickens.

Doesn't everyone shoot firearms as part of their Mother's Day activities?!

Adrian and Adam take aim.

Trampoline Time, Mission Prep., Guitar Heroes, Birthday Celebrations

What would a trip to Kristen and Cory's be like without some time on the trampoline?!

Adam beginning the process of getting his papers ready for his mission.

Our very own guitar heroes!

Celebrating Kristen's birthday!

In the country...

Old McDonald

We enjoyed a nice visit with Kristen, Cory, Elise, Ian, and Merry Grace this weekend. On Sunday after our birthday dinner for Adrian, I decided to take Mama a plate since she wasn't feeling well and didn't get to come eat with us. Ian was eager to go with me, so we got into the van and headed out. He was so cute talking about things as we rode along, but one of the cutest things was on the way home...we were riding along, listening to the rain pouring down on the roof of the van, and then all of a sudden he burst into singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and so I joined in with him. It was just so cute! Ian is such a neat little fellow and just a real pleasure to be around, always full of adventure and fun!

The grandkids were all just cute as could be and it was a pleasure to be with them. Merry Grace loves to come up to me to be held and it just makes my day. She is so sweet and cute and cuddley. Sometimes she just puts her head against my shoulder and snuggles up and it is just so sweet. Elise is growing up so fast and staying such a good example and a wonderful helper in her family. It's fun to talk to her - she always sounds so grown up and expresses herself so well to be only 5.

8bol rides again

8bol, being the cute little dog he is, quickly responded to Adrian's invitation to "Come on, 8bol, let's take a ride!" Logan came along, too, and they all made a quick trip to take off our trash. 8bol must have had a great time, because when they got back, he continued to sit by the van and whine. He walked from one door to the other and then to the back. He put his paws on the back bumper and cried some more. Evidently, he really likes to ride! He is a good traveler when we go to Kristen's (and he rides in his pet carrier), but I'd never seen that kind of response to a trip! Maybe he liked being held by Logan in the seat and looking out the window this time. I don't know....but he was sure ready to go again!

More at Sunset

The colors of the sunset just fascinate me. I just love the way the sun sets over the mountains and the colors in the sky.

This is near sunset, too, this afternoon. It has been a cloudy, rainy day, but with a little clearning as you can see. Yesterday is was 85 and quite warm. The forsythia are blooming, along with the redbuds, bradford pears, tulips, etc. Just a warm and beautiful day. Today was much cooler, in the 50's. But no snow like Ethan and Adam had in Utah yesterday!

Annie Get Your Gun!

This is me rifle shooting, but skeet shooting with the shotgun is still my favorite. Yesterday I tried some from a different angle and it was more challenging, but I hit some. The best is when you shatter them, instead of just shooting off a piece.

Guns and a new hobby...

I've never been too excited about guns. Adrian encouraged me to practice with a handgun about once every year or so, so I would know how to shoot one if I ever needed it. I'm still not real excited about the whole gun thing, I mean they still scare me, but I have found that I do kind of enjoy skeet shooting. This is how it happened... One day Adrian asked me to throw some clay pigeons for him, but I had difficulty with the thrower...so he threw them for me and I used the shotgun to try to hit them. I don't think I even hit any, but it captured my attention and I thought it was challenging, and I thought maybe guns might be a little bit fun. So, it wasn't long before I wanted to try it again and so for FHE activity about a week ago, we went up into the woods and used the thrower and went skeet shooting and I actually hit some! I think perhaps this qualifies as a sport. There is the timing of things, aiming, hitting a moving target in the air, etc., and I have to admit, I liked it. I guess Adrian thought maybe we were on a roll and he'd see what else I might enjoy, so over the weekend we tried rifle shooting and a different handgun than the one I usually use, and they were okay, but my favorite is the...let me see if I can get this right...the Browning pump action 12 gauge shotgun. So, there you have it! I think I might have found a new hobby!

8bol running

8bol is so cute running and jumping!

Nature and Chickens

Sunset near Pilot Mountain

I love the colors of sunsets and sunrises! Here is a sunset looking from our yard, just below the chicken pens.

This is a good shot of Roofer and Captain Jack, two of our roosters.

Here is one of our favorite chickens, Princess.

Family Pic's

Logan playing basketball during the stake youth basketball tournament.

Merry Grace playing on the deck in her backyard.

Elise and Ian in their back yard. I thought they were cute walking along holding hands.

Logan in our circle with Lucy and 8bol.

Kristen and Logan at the Raleigh airport after flying in from Utah and their visit with Ethan and Adam.

Ian and Merry Grace - ready for church!

Elise beside some beautiful artwork!

Computer Dependent

There was some construction going on between a couple of buildings on campus today, a retaining wall or something, and a wire was cut that no one knew was there. So, I was sitting in my office minding my own business, responding to an email about a committee I'm on and was almost ready to hit send, when everything went down! The outage was partial in our building, but eventually the power was shut off completely to repair the damage to the line. It's amazing how quiet it is with no electrical things running. My computers were silent, my printer, the fax machine, the two-way radio, telephone...all quiet. A co-worker stepped into my doorway and commented that this would not have mattered 200 years ago. He's right. We do so many things with all our electronic devices that when we don't have them, we're almost paralyzed. It's like, "Well, what do I do now? What can I do?" I was desperate to use something electronic, so I got on my cell phone and texted my family (except Logan, who I knew was in school - I didn't want his cell phone to get taken away). Not that I have to have a reason like that to text my family, but I did miss all the instant communication we are so accustomed to. And it was a good reason to take a minute to say hello to everyone. As we all adapted to our circumstances, it was interesting to look around at the ways we made the best of things as some moved into the lobby area underneath the skylight and people started using cell phones for the all-important communication we have to do. It's sort of like when it snows (which we haven't really had any to speak of this year) and we have a power outage. It is inconvenient, but it is peaceful and quiet and for a little while the world slows down - and that part is nice.

I knew this was coming...

I predicted it would be soon! I told Kristen not long ago that I was beginning to feel comfortable with finding their house and knowing my way around a little (I'm so terrible on directions!), so.... I knew they would be moving soon! It always happens! As soon as I get the hang of where they live and how to get there and get around a little - they move! So, I was not surprised to hear they bought a new house and would be moving in a couple of weeks! Hmmm.... is this number....5? in 7 years? and 4 towns/cities? and 4 wards? How exciting!

A little snow

We finally had a little snow. There wasn't much and it didn't last long, but it was pretty.