More fun with Amelia

Today Amanda called so I could talk some sense into Amelia about wearing black pants. Amelia thinks that is "a boy color"and won't wear them. I told her that I have 2 pairs of black pants and they are my favorites! Girls wear black pants all the time and you can wear any color of top with them and I was wearing black pants right then while we were talking! I don't know if she put them on after we hung up... but I was amused at the influence I could have on my granddaughter's wardrobe. I wonder if that will still work when she is 15!

The Girls and Grandma

Amelia was really missing her Grandma and persuaded her parents to make a trip to Prineville so she could get a picture of us together to hang in her room. What a sweetie. I always hate to get my picture taken, but maybe she will remember me more kindly than I do myself!

We always have fun together. I probably am the "craft" grandma because we make things together as often as we can. I really look forward to every stage of my grandchildren's lives and hope that when they are teenagers we can still have fun!

While Amelia was getting her picture taken Hayden and Lia needed to be a part of the fun too! I made Hayden and Amelia's matching dresses recently. It was fun and brought back memories of sewing for my own girls. I need to do more of that again. Lia let Aunt Amanda put braids in her hair, which is quite an accomplishment! The funny story from this weekend was when Lia was helping Amanda make cookies and she told her that she liked Amy (Amanda's cousin). She said Amy tells stories without books, she tells stories with her mouth! Amanda told her, "That's because Amy can't read!" Of course, that all got back to Amy and the battle is on! You gotta love our family!

Another tragic loss

This is my mom doing one of her favorite things. She didn't ask for much out of life and never complained. She worked hard all of her life, retiring when she was 8o years old! She still bowls on a league and does volunteer work

On Oct. 20th she was in an accident and died the next day from her injuries. I was able to spend the morning with her and talk to her, with her responding with a shake of the head before she started to fail. I was not prepared for this and I am having a very hard time dealing with it. I have a lot to take care of now and I struggle through each day figuring out what to do. Not to dwell on the sadness, I thought I would include some other photos:

This is two weeks before mom died. We took a trip to California together to attend her younger brother's 50th wedding anniversary. We got to make a long ride down from the mountains where they live, into Stockton in a stretch limo. This is her brother Jim, mom and her sister Doris in the limo.

All of our children were home for the funeral, as well as two of my three brothers and mom's brother and sister. This is from L to R: my sister-in-law Elaine, my brother Steve, Me, Curt, my brother Kent, mom's sister Doris, mom's sister-in-law Paddie, and her brother Jim

It was fun to see Emily and her cousin Megan get together. This is the first time since they have become "adults". Megan just turned 22 and Emily is 27. They are a lot alike.

It seems like I only post a new blog entry when I have something fun or exciting, or something sad to ad. I will have to examine my life and find something worthwhile to share more often. I will miss my mom.

Bula!

Bula!













(That's Hey!...Hello!...Greetings!....Aloha!, etc. in Fiji)
We have returned from a two week vacation to the beautiful islands of Fiji! It was wonderful, fascinating, restful, exciting and all those great descriptive words. I would definitely recommend it. This trip came about as a result of the passing of my Dad. He always wanted to travel when he retired. He planned to buy a sailboat and live on it and he never was well enough to do it. He planned well financially for his retirement and his children are now reaping the benefit of his investments. So I decided that I wasn't going to wait for "someday" to visit a South Sea island like I have always dreamed of (Hawaii doesn't count!) I wanted to go before I am too crippled up to enjoy it. So here are some highlights of our trip!

We went on a couple of day cruises to outer islands. This one is Robinson Crusoe Island, where we snorkeled, ate Lovo lunch (buried bar-b-q), watched dancers, and had crab races. It was a fun day.

This was our view from the beach in front of our bure every night at 6 o'clock.














One day we went to a "bird park" where they help many kinds of colorful birds re-populate the islands. We were actually inside most of the cages with them! They had some fruit bats that we saw up close. We had seen some flying while we were on a raft trip earlier. This is my new friend, Mr Iguana. Kind of funny that Curt wouldn't touch them!









One they same day, we also visited a local village that they call the Pottery Village because the women there make a living by collecting red clay from the river bank and make pottery to sell to the tourist. They held a Kava ceremony for us,which we didn't drink because it is a narcotic and probably against the Word of Wisdom. It is a REALLY big deal there, and you are supposed to bring some Kava to give to the village chief and partake with him before you are welcomed into the village. They gave a demonstration before showing us their things to buy. Curt couldn't buy just from one woman and not the rest, so we came home with enough little turtles and frogs for all our grand kids, plus a pot and a few other things.




These two little girls were there at the pottery village and they were SO cute! When we were done there we discovered our driver had a flat tire, so we got to hang out in the village longer while he got it fixed. The little children were so sweet. The little one in the red shirt, Angela, became my friend. She came to sit by me and kept putting her feet up where I could tickle them! Curt learned all their names and what grade they were in. I was wishing I had some candy with me!










On September 8th, it was my 52nd birthday. (I can't believe it!) We went on a sailing trip to a couple of islands. There are over 300 islands, some of them uninhabited. We left from Denarau Island Marina on a large catamaran. It is like a large water taxi because people staying at resorts on the smaller, outer islands get to and from on the catamaran. It stopped at several small islands where there was only one resort on the island and picked up or dropped off people. It doesn't dock at the island, people are transported by motor boats to transfer. When we got to Mana Island, we got off and transfered to the Sea Spray, a 83 foot sailing schooner. We visited Yanuya Island where there was another Kava ceremony and women selling lots of tourist trinkets. We had a delicious lunch on board ship and sailed to Modriki Island.









This is the same island that Tom Hanks filmed Cast Away. Doesn't it look familiar? We snorkeled for a couple of hours there, and walked on the beautiful beach. There is nothing there but beautiful surroundings!













One day we hired our usual taxi driver for the day to take us to Suva, the capitol city. We decided not to rent a car and try to drive. It is quite an experience! There is a narrow two lane road that goes around the island. They drive on the left. There are a lot of slow moving trucks and buses so traffic moves slowly with only occasional places to pass. It is probably about 50 miles to Suva from where we stayed, but took all of 2 hours to get there. We went to the temple after which Krishna dropped us off downtown for a few hours. We ate lunch at KFC (it was just like home! Unlike the KFC in China!) and did some shopping and site seeing. It was a great day! We had already attended church at a small branch in Sigatoka and met many of the local members and a few American missionaries.



This is our bure. We usually prefer not to stay in hotels. This resort was about 25 bures and ours was beachfront. We crossed a small lawn and were right on the beach! This picture is also our traditional photo of Curt on vacation... on the phone! We went into town the first day we were there and bought a cell phone so he could keep in touch with the office... but not too much. The bure was just a square with a porch cut into one corner and a bathroom inside on the opposite corner. Inside was a queen size bed and two twins. There were no windows, just slats over screens that opened on both sides to get the breeze, along with a overhead fan. On the backside was a solar water collector for our shower, not that you wanted much hot water in that heat!

We spent many hours at this great pool. That is our bure through the trees. The canopies were real thatched grasses. The one showing was 4 years old and about to be replaced. We watched them build two new ones while we were there. The resort grounds had banana, coconuts, papayas, orchids, cactus, and many other beautiful flowering plants. It smelled heavenly and looked it too.




The main activity that I wanted to do in Fiji was this white water raft trip down the Navua River. We have been on other white water trips with bigger rapids, but never scenery like this! This was class 2 and 3 rapids and about 16 miles of beautiful canyons and waterfalls. Just the trip to the river was an adventure! We had about a one and half hour bus ride from our resort to the drop off site. Then about a two hour drive on a 4x6 bus on logging roads through a mahogany rain forest. (these were not American logging roads!) From some of the peaks you could see the ocean below. It was beautiful! Then when we got to the river... the real adventure began...and if I would have known this part, I probably would have backed out, and then I would have missed a great trip. We had to hike to where we were





getting into the boats. This hike was almost
straight up, and straight down, straight up and straight down with steps cut into the dirt/mud with boards packed in to make stairs. I am not kidding... these stairs were the depth of my whole short, terribly out of shape legs! I had to hoist myself up each step and try to step down with out blowing out a knee. I had to step aside to let the young people go by me. By the time I got to the river, my thighs were shaking and hurting. (Curt too, to a lesser degree) I told the group that I expected some applause... and I got it! The raft trip was wonderful. Curt got out and floated through some of the calm canyon waters. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back into the boat! We had lunch here beside one the many waterfalls. We had a couple of rain showers but it was always warm. I had to be careful walking on slippery rocks with my shaky, sore legs so I didn't fall and break a hip! (Here I am looking like a drowned rat, but I guess that's how I really looked!)






Curt is showing us one of the many bright blue starfish

We took an underwater camera and took lots of photos of fish and coral. The fish are incredibly bright colors.

Curt is feeding the fish!

He's Baaaack!!!

Curt returned home from DR of Congo safely and we are happy to be together again! This our friend, Phil Malula on the left of Curt, and Phil's wife's brother and sister-in-law. Curt has interesting and sad stories of life in the Congo. The poor just keep getting poorer and crime is rampant as people just try to survive. One day Curt's car and driver got stopped by the police (they saw a white man...and an opportunity for extortion) and Curt had to call Phil to come rescue him. They sent another car and whisked him away. The police are people to be afraid of there!

The project with Tifi - TEACHING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES INDEPENDENCE THROUGH ENTERPRISE (http://www.tifie.org/organization.html) is to develop a truck repair shop. They have a fleet of trucks that helps many have employment and Curt is going to help them set up a shop to do maintenance, repairs and build truck beds. They weren't successful at finding a suitable building to lease on this trip and have decided to buy property and remodel a building. Curt is gathering machinery to ship to Congo since what is available there is very expensive and old. There will trips in the future to continue the project... but I don't plan on going with him. It is not safe. At the orphanage that Tifi runs it's not even safe for Curt to visit because "bad guys" who saw him come would break in and demand whatever "the white man brought". Our love and admiration of Phil and his family is reason enough to be involved.

Memories

I saw this on a Amanda's blog. Here are the Directions.
1. As a comment on my blog leave on memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instruction on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume your playing the game and I 'll come to your blog and leave on about you!

Life in the slow lane

So... here I am pecking out an entry with one hand (I was going to say one finger, but I discovered that I could actually type faster than that!) after having shoulder surgery. I had bone spurs cleaned out of my left shoulder two days ago. I think I am very happy to be right handed because my left arm is completely tied down for a few weeks. I am trying not to panic about Curt being gone for 10 days to the DR of Congo...and I'm not supposed to drive! Last time he went there he left me with a cast on my leg...and not a walking cast either.

But on a happier note...tonight we are going to see James Taylor in concert. I bought these great 7th row tickets before I knew I was going to be laid up, and I'm not missing it. I have been a huge fan from his first album and all of his newer stuff too.

35th Anniversary

So.... Amanda convinced me that I needed to do a tribute video to celebrate our 35th anniversary. It was actually on June 23rd, but I'm just now getting around to it. This is my first attempt at this and it took FOREVER! As you will see, we were young and a little crazy, or as I prefer to remember... earthy. I am grateful for all the good years we've had together, and all the good times. The next 35 years should be a blast!

Check this out!

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=66ecf4bf6ec8403f8111b0&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Cowboy Up!

It's branding day at the Bar BD ranch! The black Angus are well loved by their owners and treated lovingly as possible. They are freeze branded and prepped for artificial insemination. The mommas bawled for their babies while they were separated but quickly reunited. It's a good day to live in Central Oregon!

Sam applies the cattle numbers with freeze brand

Hyrum pets a calf... but keeps his ears plugged because the bawling momma cows are LOUD!

Missing Him

This is me looking up at my Daddy, my hero... Christmas 1959 (I think) with my mom and three brothers at my Aunt Mary's house. WE were never allowed to have a WHITE flocked Christmas tree growing up in California! I love this picture because how the glance at my dad is such a fleeting moment in time... and I will never look on his face again... in this lifetime. Sadly, my father passed away on March 13, 2008 at the age of 83. It seemed so sudden to me because I had lunch with him on Friday and he was ok. Then over the weekend he must have come down with pneumonia again and wasn't strong enough to fight it. I stayed by him until Thursday evening until all my brothers could get there to see him, and then we let him go. My Dad has never had much use for religion and voiced his doubts that there is a God or a continuing of life after death. I take great comfort in knowing that now he knows. And I reminded him in his final hours that when he gets where he is going to remember that "I told you so!" My heart is heavy and I will always miss him.

Newest Baby...and more!

Here is the latest photo of Macquarie and Lia. It really is true that the more kids you have the less you photograph them! (except Amanda who has a scrapbooker heart and takes pictures of all of her children). But I have sadly found that I take less photos and video of the newer grandchildren.

Lia tolerates her little brother, but would rather not have to deal with him. She especially doesn't like it when he cries. He's a 'urp-er' too. Macquarie is starting to smile and coo. He loves it when you talk to him and he gets to waving his arms around and squealing. Then he gets the hiccoups and gets mad. Right now they are both sick. Macquarie has RSV and is pretty pitiful. Lia has a bad cold/virus and not very perky either. It's fun to have a new baby around.

I found this photo that I took of Emily and my Dad around Thanksgiving and thought I should post it. It's not the greatest picture of him since he was sick and ended up in the hospital the next week with pnuemonia, but he is better now. I sure have enjoyed having him living close by the last few years. I get a kick out of him now and find him amusing instead of annoying! Such is the cycle of life.

One..Two...Three!

Here are our two 3 year olds trying to show us three fingers! Hyrum turned 3 on Jan. 7th and Lia on Jan. 9th. They are 36 hours apart in age and so different. As you can see, Lia is a bit taller. She walked first. Hyrum talks like a smart alack and has for quite a long time. Lia is just getting around to using words more. They are both wonderful and so entertaining! There is a bit of competition and occasional arguing between them, but for the most part they play together well.

End of the year catch up!

This is proud Grandpa Curt with new Macquarie James Workman. "Mac" was born Dec. 4, 2007 to Sam and Jenniann. 9 lbs. 4 oz and great big hands. Grandpa says he has a hammer waiting for him. Macquarie is named after a city in Australia where Sam served on his mission. Sam says that the name Macquarie is very prestigious in Australia... kind of like Rockefeller in USA. Sam obviously loves his memories of Australia since he also named their daughter Australia (Lia) Rose.

Every Christmas Eve we take a family photo at our house with whoever is here to celebrate. This year it was just Sunny and Sam and their families. Amanda family visited the weekend before but were at home for Christmas. Emily spent her very first Christmas away... a sign that she is all grown up I guess. So this is our family Christmas 2007. Left to Right (back row) Jenniann, Sam holding Macquarie James (born Dec. 4th), Angela, Sunny and Mo. Front: Lia, Johnnie, Hyrum in front and Brigham on Grandpa Curt's knee. We had a good year and tried to keep it simple. We have all been trying to focus on family preparedness. Sam, as the ward Elder's Quorum President has really been emphasizing it and suggested to the men that they cut their Christmas gift budget in half and buy food storage, etc with the other half. It caused quite a stir around the ward! Jenniann had a couple of sacks of rice under the tree! As a family we have been putting up quite a bit and looking into water purification etc. Sunny and Sam contributed to our preparedness by buying Curt a "varmint" gun for Christmas! Now we can eat gophers if we get hungry. We gave each of the married couples some silver to put into storage. All in all it was a very relaxing and good Christmas. We have said many times that we are very blessed when it comes to not being able to think of a single thing that we "need" or "want" for Christmas. (although I did "need" and "want" a new mixer... and got one.)