August Adventures

Corinne and her boys came to visit a couple of days before we all headed to Shannon's to celebrate Little Buddy's 1st birthday. Here is Garrett (on the left) and Spencer (on the right). These boys really like to play board games. Connect Four was a hit. Grandpa Fred is always happy to play games with the boys. There was Chess, Checkers, Pig Mania, Connect Four, Operation to name a few. The boys are sitting on the area rug that we got for the living room if you noticed. 

Another hit is always Legos. Here is Richard sitting at the table set that Great Grandma & Grandpa Daly made for our girls when they were Two and Four years old. They made hand and foot prints of the girls and stuck them to the table. As you can see, we save everything (that is important). We have Lego sets from Scott and even one or two that Corinne wanted when she was about ten years old. We saved a big box of Power Rangers toys and a big box of Transformers also. These little boys never need for interesting toys when they visit.

Here is Little Buddy being encouraged to make a mess with his birthday cake. It was kind of hard to watch. His Daddy Brian made the cake. It was the best ever. Have I ever said that Brian is a great cook and even better at baking?Brian makes homemade bread (of all varieties). Little Buddy spits out store bought bread. 

Yes, that is me. What a Grandma!

Looks like Little Buddy adores his Grandpa in this shot.

I will blog again in a few days. I want to journal about my new job and how I'm adjusting to our new life.

My new ride

I'm not sure how many of you knew that I sold my Highlander before we moved here. I told Fred that I was planning on making lots of trips to see my kids and grandkids once we moved here. He said "well then we better get something more economical on gas".

Now that I have a part time job, I felt it was time to treat me to a car. We really don't need two cars right now and I actually told Fred that the other day, but he had started researching cars and decided it was the right time to buy. Not that there really is any facts to support that idea, but he actually had talked himself into it and who am I to question?

I wanted a Corolla or Hyundai Elantra. Our son in law Brian originally planted the suggestion of an Elantra. I like the curves of the Elantra and more destinctive body shape. Corollas are a little plain unless you get the sport or LE version. So I got exactly what I wanted. 2013 Elantra silver with gray interior. We brought it home on Saturday morning. It's super sweet and curvaceous just like me.

A little home decorating

This is the arrangement I made in my sewing room. Same pictures as my Pink Room in Bremerton plus a few more. Like my Lunch Bag Award from Fred. 

 Chris Martone & Linda Nyland gave me this sign for a going away gift. 

This is my new happy place.

Thank you.

 Recycled decorations here in the kitchen. I did have the plate in our bedroom for years. I made it for Fred when Scott's preschool made plates.

 It was the time of our 15 year anniversary.

 At the 15 year mark the highlights of our family are represented on this plate.

We enjoyed camping. See the tent trailer and pine trees?

Scott would follow Fred around in the garden Fred would rototill and fertilize the garden.

Corinne and Shannon both played the piano, Shannon the clarinet and violin....

Music was enjoyed in our home. 

And of course, I love Fred!!

I got a job

I found a part time job. I applied on line at Express Professionals and they called me a couple days later and invited me in for an interview. They place a lot of temporary employees at Deseret Laboratories, Inc. here in Washington. It is a is a full service Private Label and custom manufacturer of Rx, OTC, and nutraceutical intermediate and finished products. Focusing on direct sourcing of ingredients, which allows the highest quality of product as well as very competitive pricing. The company provides approximately 120,000 square feet from which to deliver agglomeration, instatization, blending, tableting, hard shell encapsulation coating and packaging to it's valued customers. (I copied that from their website).

The company is in a big building and I'm that person who sits at the information counter when you walk in. I answer phones, greet everyone, sort and deliver mail. I like that it is part time. Monday thru Friday from 1-5. It's about a 10 minutes drive. I've been told by Express and the woman I'm replacing that after a few months, the company should hire me on permanently. Of course, I could do a really crappy job and they not like me and they won't hire me, but I would hope I do a good job and they want to hire me permanently even though I really didn't want to find a job for about six months. I wanted to spend lots of time setting up the house and enjoying my family nearby. But I was trying really hard to get my name out there on job sites etc. so it didn't seem right to turn it down. I am still hopeful that at some point I'll make my way into the school district here. I'm so spoiled with the job I've had the last 10 years. I knew I would miss it.

Maybe this part time job will get me my own car sooner. We actually are getting along with one car, but I miss the independence of my own car.... MY OWN CAR!

:)

4th of July family reunion in segments

Over the 4th of July holiday we had all of our family here to visit. Well, just about all of our family. My Dad flew into Salt Lake to visit with his brother, and then he visited my two brothers before joining up with Corinne and her family to drive here to see us. 

Shannon wasn't able to make it here before Dad had to leave to catch his flight back to Seattle. We did skype with Shannon so he could at least visit with her and see Little Buddy live.

Here is Great Grandpa Burke with Corinne's three boys.

 Here he is with Corinne & her boys.

 And here with Corinne & Ben & Family.

They enjoyed shooting off their own fireworks outside and playing with their favorite toys here. Legos, race car tracks and board games are always a hit.

Next came Shannon. Brian wasn't able to come because of work, but we enjoyed having her and Little Buddy come. Here are our attempts at a group shot. Someone else probably has a better picture.

 Little Buddy enjoys shopping. He is a good little shopper. That awesome shopping cart cover I made. 

 This is Little Buddy sporting my favorite and only outfit that I saved of Scott's. It is soft and snuggly.

A little here and there

I decided that I can' wait until everything is unpacked and in it's place. It is going to take a long time so I decided to post pictures of what we ( I ) have accomplished. This is the entry table that we bought at Pier 1. It is super cute, but we feel like it cost more than it was worth. Fred still had to put it together, BUT it was the only table we found that met our needs and criteria.

When I was at Shannon's, we went shopping for a little home decor. That arrangement in the corner what we put together. It smells divine too.

Most kitchens in our neighborhood have these stepped and blocked kitchen cabinets so everyone has their own little decor going on. My dream was to have beautiful water pitchers of varying colors.....I don't know if I will accomplish that very soon, but I will work on it. This pitcher my work friend gave me when she moved into her new home and it no longer met her needs. Good for me.

This is my gift from my favorite girls from Bremerton. It's honored spot is in the entrance of my new home.

Thank you!!!

Slow progress

No pictures yet because nothing looks very different. We did mostly shopping last week. We bought a few new pieces of furniture, but we will wait until they arrive to do that portion of the home decorating and setting up. Can't set up if you don't have a shelf or surface to put things on or know where furniture is going to land to hang stuff. Fred did get all my sewing room furniture pieces anchored down. Not ready to hang stuff yet there.

We have found all the hardware for the furniture, except the bedroom armoire shelves, and the tv that we had in the living room we are missing the screws for securing it on the stand. Our washer and dryer are being delivered today so I won't have to go to my in-laws to wash clothes anymore. I'm excited to wash all our stuff. Everything feels dirty from the move in the van.

It's hard to put holes in new walls, but we will have to bite the bullet. It won't feel like home until familiar things are hanging to give it a homey feeling.

Our neighborhood ladies (all church) have a monthly lunch get together. I went to that yesterday. With a bunch of retired ladies (I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest) the conversation was pretty much about our housing development and who is sick with what in the ward. I hope I get an opportunity to make some young friends, but I'm concerned that I may get plugged into the retirement crowd.

I'm adjusting to the heat. It was 80 this morning and we had our windows rolled down instead of the air conditioning. You just adjust and know when to go outside. At 8:30 or 9 PM that is our walk time. The valley here is beautiful. Lights everywhere and the low mountains and cliffs are a beautiful sunset setting. Colorful skies at night.

All our kids will probably be here for the 4th as well as my Dad will be here. I have my first baby sitting duty with Shannon in Las Vegas next week. Brian will be going to Scout Camp so I will watch Little Buddy while Shannon works in the morning. It will be super fun to hang out with her.

I have been so busy with all this newness that I have not really had a chance to contemplate my life left behind in Bremerton. It is so exciting to be given this opportunity for change. Even my eating habits have changed. It is just easier to be different. I have lost about 6 pounds already from sweating I think. Even that little bit makes one feel much better.

I had my first in a series of spinal injections for my pinched nerve in my neck. I've had tingling in my right arm since December and limited motion in my right shoulder as a result of the pinched nerve. I have already felt improvement. Next is the dermatologist to check ugly leg bumps. I have double medical coverage until the end of the month so I have been trying to take care of these things.

I'm surviving without a chiropractor or a massage. We are making all the big purchases now and then start living on the budget we "developed" to see how it feels to live on our retirement. I am still checking positions on the school district website here for a job. I want and need to work. Get me out and about and give me play money. I do absolutely love my new neighbor. Her name is Sharon. She has her own long arm quilting business. She is about 10 years older than I am, but she is a kick and a bit sassy.

Hopefully I will post some pictures soon of our home that actually look nice.