Sad News for the Gray family

In case you missed it on Facebook, Abby's little brother passed away as the result of an automobile accident. This is what appeared in the News Argus today. I chose NOT to include the photo. Our thought and prayers are with you Abby, and the family.

No charges will be filed in a Friday morning wreck that claimed the life of a Seven Springs man.
Jacob Anthony Gray, 30, 5614 N.C. 55 died en route to Wayne Memorial Hospital after he was injured when his pickup truck was struck by a tractor-trailer rig.
Gray was driving his 1984 Chevrolet pickup west on Greenfield Cemetery Road shortly after 11 a.m. Friday.
He turned south onto Arrington Bridge Road where he failed to stop at a stop sign, N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper J.A. Smith said.
An Elizabethtown-based Cape Fear Transportation tractor-trailer driven by James Herman Christian, 51, of Bladenboro, did not have enough time to stop, Smith said.
The semi hit the pickup nearly head on, driving it off the road and into an embankment.
"You could see smoke billowing out from under the (pickup) truck," Christian said.
Indian Springs and Dudley fire departments responded, along with Wayne County EMS and the Highway Patrol.
There are no indications that either speed or alcohol were involved in the crash, Sgt. G.L. Burton said.

My babies ....

I'll get more pics this weekend but here ya go.   :-)

Moving on Up.......

 

 

 

Yep, tomorrow I will be moving.

I will be heading out to Beryl, Utah for a couple of weeks.

 

Isaac is in school, riding the bus, and so far things are working out. Eli gets home about 2:20, and Isaac gets home around 4:00. If all goes well, Kat could be home as soon as 4:30. Early release day is Wednesday, so Eli will have a little longer to babysit then.

 

Eli has practiced with the tube feeding, (apple juice after school) and Isaac has about mastered eating yogurt by himself (making a mess). So, my work is done here, and it's time to move on. I have packed up my suitcases, and will be heading out early tomorrow morning.

 

I will miss my babies here. I will miss the lunch conversations with Sto about girls, school, and life in general. I will miss watching dumb tv shows with Eli (He has every Big Bang Theory and The Office on the DVR). I will miss all the little smart comments Eli blurts out every now and then. And of course Isaac, the little man that climbs up in your lap, wanting a hug or kiss. The same little man that grabs you by the hand and makes you get up and go with him so he can show you what he wants. And, the same little man that rules the house, every tv, and every electronic device he can find. He keeps you busy every waking hour, but his little laugh and dances are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

 

Get ready Mc Ewans, I am headed your way! I'm going down to experience life on the farm.  Wish me luck.

Still Obsessed

Yep, I'm still obsessed with Burning Man. I watch this video stream all day. THIS IS AMAZING!

Just take a look. This would be a GREAT family vacation......without the kids of course!

Check it out.

http://www.ustream.tv/burningman

Thursday's main event, "The red dress run" Everyone meets at the base of "The Man" in their red dresses for a run, with stops along the way for beer, lots of beer. Can't wait to see all these dudes in red dresses!

Burning Man 2014

Have you ever heard of Burning Man? You hear about it a little on the East Coast, but nothing real big. Well, let me tell you, it IS BIG here. It all started a week before the big date. There was an RV seller on the news telling that ALL of his RV's and travel trailers had been rented out for Burning Man, some of them going for as much as $15,000 a week! Then over the weekend Kat went to Walmart, and there again, people stocking up food and water to head out to the desert about 25 miles outside of Reno, heading to the big event.
Thousands of people go out to the middle of the desert, no stores, no food carts. As a matter of fact they don't even let you buy anything there. You carry enough for yourself, and enough to share. It's not like you can go to a booth and buy a Pepsi, nope, not here.
This is what their official website has to say........
Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada's Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever.
Today it came on the news that they had to stop all traffic from going into the area. A storm had come up, and the place was flooded. Who would have dreamed that road closure would have made the news?
Google and look at some of the wild costumes, artwork, homemade vehicles, and read the stories about this. Even the Huffington post has written a few articles. AND, look real good, and you can find the live feeds from there. If I were just a few years younger, I would head on out there!
Oh, you can even watch them burn the man one night, then the temple the next night!

Ice Bucket Challenge

Now this was worth waking up to this morning. You were both so cute, and Cindy, I loved that little screech!
Tristen, would you try to post the videos to the blog? I want them here for eternity....don't want them to get lost on Facebook!

Eli's Campout and White Water Rafting

Look at these CRAZY kids. This is what their scout leaders let them do. I have lots of these pictures but the guy downloaded them to google drive, and they saved as a file, not a jpg or some other type.
That's Eli front left with the pink helmet on. I have another picture that shows you just how big that cliff is. They jump down to the water, shoes and all!
I would have had a fit if I had seen that. Who is watching out for these babies?

Can You sit like This?

This is the way Isaac sits quite a bit of the time. On his trip to the Shriner's Hospital earlier this month he was diagnosed with femoral antiversion. His legs actually bend back this way.  This is the way they bend when he is standing. They are thinking they should self correct by the time he is 13.

He was also diagnosed with flexible flat feet. The Dr said this could cause his feet to hurt, so I rub his feet every day when he comes in from school. As soon as I change his diaper, he puts his foot in

my face for me to rub. He LOVES it!  This child is totally spoiled...

 

The reason he went to the Shriner's was because of the curvature of his spine, scoliosis. They are keeping a check on that. Also of concern was an open sacral dimple. They plan to MRI that if it hasn't been done previously. Other that, all is pretty much same as usual. He is quite the medical marvel!

 



The Little People

Jacob and Jackson

Catherine and Isaac

Jacob

Jackson

Luke

Kenneth

Here are some of the pictures in my phone. I didn't bring the cord to download them to the computer, so I had to email them to myself, 3 or 4 at a time. There are over a hundred of them, not even including Eli's trip with the scouts. Just random shots, over a week's period. More of Eli to come!

All about that bass

"All About That Bass
"Because you know
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two
But I can shake it, shake it
Like I'm supposed to do
Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places

Today after we picked up Isaac we were looking for a post office, had Garmin talking to us, and had the radio turned up. And yep, there it was......"I'm all about that bass"..... Eli had to turn it up so we could sing along, all while trying to find the right road to get on the interstate to get back home.
I hear this song at least a couple of times a day. It's a nifty little ditty that will keep you singing for hours. Because of course.....I'm all about that bass.

Mommy&Me at the Circus!

Howdy

All is going good in the vast desert. It gets hot during the day, but there is usually a breeze. It's real funny when every 15 minutes the emergency broadcast goes off on the TV when a thunderstorm is approaching......about like we get when a tornado is upon us!
The boys are back in school. The school bus thing isn't worked out yet for Isaac. They have to send a special bus because he goes to a school out of his district. Kat's been on the teacher's case the past few days, and has even sent the principal two emails about the school not having appropriate handicapped access. So, she (the principal) is having the janitor PAINT the curbing blue, and mark off a spot for two more handicapped places near Isaac's classroom.
Joe stays out of town most of the week, so the girls rule.....well, actually Isaac still controls the remote, and the ipad, and the green ipad, and usually Kat or Eli's phone.
   Life is so exciting just sitting down for lunch having a Grandma/ grandson talk with Sto. Or listening to Eli's grand adventures of his day at school, or camp, or life in general. And then there is always Isaac climbing on my lap to give me a hug, or to put his hand down my shirt. Yep, he's a boob man!
  I'll keep you posted. Remember now, grandpa is home alone, so give him a call when you can.

The Boys

We had a fun filled weekend last weekend. We spent part of the weekend relaxing and the other part at the bowling alley. Blake had a blast. Liam just hung out without a care in the world. Blake thought it was funny to make Liam wear his swim hat while he was on tummy time. Guess he is going to start picking on him early. Blake went to the dentist today. Has his first cavity on his front tooth. We brush every morning and night, but i guess the sugar bugs are common in kids' mouth. Blake starts t-ball in a couple weeks so we are gearing up for that as well. Whew! cheers to the busy times about to begin!

More First Day of Schoolers

And they are off......... Catherine and Luke. Jacob doesn't start until next week.
Wonder how their first day of school went!
Blue jeans of the first day of school???....... Only in Utah.
Hey Christy, is that your quilt frame in the background?

Old vs Young

After hanging out with the "young folks" for awhile, I have learned quite a few differences.

1.) Young people are ALWAYS opening the dishwasher door to remove CLEAN dishes. That's how they empty it.....one dish at a time. OLD folks just wash the dishes by hand and put them up all at one time.

2.) Old folks wash the clothes, put them in the dryer, wait for the dryer to buzz, remove, then fold the clothes before they wrinkle. YOUNG folks forget the clothes in  the washer, NEVER hear the dryer buzz, and throw the clothes BACK in the dryer to get the wrinkles out.

3.) Young people clean out their car by throwing everything in the back seat to make room for a passenger in the front seat. OLD people always pick up a stray napkin or cup and throw it away BEFORE they ever get into their car. (They can't stand to have stray items roll under their feet).

4.) Young people like to visit the grocery store at least 3 or 4 times a week. OLD people prefer to go once a month, with an occasional drop in for bread, milk, and eggs. (The funny part here is when the young people are eating most of their meals out, why still so many trips to the store)

5.) OLD folks usually try to answer their calls on the 2nd or 3rd rings......before the answering machine picks up. YOUNG folks NEVER answer their phones. They rather listen to a recorded message, then they don't have to reply back! There again, OLD folks almost always return their calls, where as young folks don't feel the need to.

6) OLD folks leave close to an hour before a scheduled appointment. Most YOUNG folks give themselves 5 minutes to get there.

What other differences can you think of?

Happy Birthday Scott

Happy Birthday to YOU
Happy Birthday to YOU
Happy Birthday dear Scott
Happy Birthday to YOU! ! ! !!

Welcome to the family. Tell Mandy to bake you a cake!

And they are off.........

 

Yep......they are all off to school.
Eli forgot his lunch and phone, so that required a quick trip back to school.
Isaac's school was having breakfast for parents 30 minutes before school.
Kenny is riding to school with a 17 year old girl!
Isaac's bus driver never called, so he might not have a ride home today.
And....the house is quiet. Just me and Katie dog. I miss my babies already. I can't wait for the school bus!

Back to School......Again

Another group of kids start back to school tomorrow.
Eli is sitting here now packing his backpack with everything on his list. Isaac has a list of his own, mostly electronics and FOOD!
Kenneth will be in the 7th grade, but at his school it is in with high school, so he starts tomorrow too. The other kids start later in the week.
Blegen kids, when does school start there?
The Murray kids have been well on there way with school. They have gone long enough they are probably tired of homework by now!
I can't wait to see Isaac and the school bus!

Takin' a dip!

The Crazy Crew!

Nothing too new going on in this neck of the woods. Blake and I have been enjoying ice cream everyday of the weekend after hitting the pool! Blake has been enjoying preschool and has made several pieces of art work. He loves his cowboy hat that you can see he is wearing in the picture. It was cowboy week last week at school. As for Liam, hes doing good so i hear. I havent seen him in over a week. As for me, well, i slightly died inside yesterday when i had my first root canal done. On Saturday, while i was eating grits, my back bottom molar broke off. so off to the dentist i go yesterday hoping for maybe just a crown. But nope, it was a root canal that needed to be done. I was excited that i had dental insurance and everything would be okay, until i was informed that my dental insurance only cover 30% of a root canal. I would have rather said heck with this, but after a sore tongue that had spent the last two days scrapping my tooth, and a ear ache from the  damaged nerve, i said i better just suck it up and get it done. Not a pretty penny! Anywho, i was a trooper and went to work afterwards. my entire bottom lip, and right side of my face along with my tongue were compeltly numb. i was talking funny and everyone told me i should answer the work phone as "thank you for calling the special kids school, how may i help you". i didnt find it to funny, but everyone else did. other then that, everything else has been well, i got pretty badly burnt at the pool...yes, it even hurt to pull my pants down to pee! so until i heal, maxi skirts are my best friend!

Grandma's Big Adventure...... The Rest of the Story

So, this is how it goes. About 6 weeks ago I received a call from Kat telling me she had gone on a job interview, and really thought she had a good chance of getting the job. A few days later I get a call, and yes, she got the job, and needed a babysitter. I started planning mine and Sherrill's trip to drive across the country, and had already bought his return ticket home. At the last minute, he didn't have a babysitter for Jack, and I wanted to travel alone, so he decided to stay home, and send me on my way with my new set of tires!
The very first day, and about 8 or 9 hours into the trip the car started acting funny (tachometer) and I would loose speed going up the mountain. The service light came on, so I stopped at an Auto Zone in Cookeville, TN and had it checked out. They said everything checked out OK and sent me on my way. I decided to drive around the parking lot a few times because I knew something was wrong. As I got ready to pull out on the road, it wouldn't go. I drove back to Auto Zone and parked under a street light and went inside to get the men. They came out, checked it out, and realized something was wrong. I told them it was my transmission,( I had this happen before.)
The Chevrolet dealership was 2 blocks up the hill, but Bessie just couldn't make it. So, they called me a wrecker. No problem for the wrecker, but big problem for me. The seats of the wrecker were up to my boobs, and I couldn't reach the grab bar. After a few attempts I finally made it in!
To make a long story short, I did need a transmission, but their price was too high. Kat found a local mechanic that could do it $1,200.00 cheaper, so I had it towed there.
No, I did NOT climb back into that thing. They called for me a rental car, and the nice lady came to pick me up. In the meantime, the mechanic ordered me a transmission, but told me it would be 3-4 days before the car would be ready.
So, now it was time for hotel looking, but first I wanted to drive out to see where they carried Bessie.
The lot was closed, but I went on and unloaded what I need from the car and headed to a nearby hotel.
Some motorcycle thing was going on, and the first hotel was booked. They called around, and could not find a room. Then they sent me to a sister hotel, quoting the price at $150.00. When I got there the lobby and bar was full of bikers. Older bikers 45 probably to 70. There was a line just to check-in.
I decided, 150.00 a night 4 nights, I could be in Reno by then. So, I called Sherrill. He said he would pick up Bessie, and I could head on west. So I did, that very day.
I broke down around 1:00, and it was 6:00 pm before I ever headed out of town. I had to go back to Bessie to unload EVERYTHING, and to tell her goodbye! Then I was off.
I don't usually drive at night, but I was behind schedule, and everything was going good, so I drove on until 11:00 pm. I started my trip at 5:00 AM, so that was one long day.
The vehicle I rented was some type of Chevy SUV, and it was brand new. It drove great, and I got it for just $29.00 a day. See.....that was cheaper than a hotel room anyway! After the first day, the oil light came on. I had to call Sherrill so he could tell me how to put the oil in, no problem there! But, the next day the service engine soon came on. Then I had to figure out how to reset the oil life button.
Everything after that was smooth sailing. St Louis slowed me down about an hour with road construction. I was amazed with all of the cornfields in Iowa, the beauty of Nebraska, and the vastness of Wyoming. New Mexico and Wyoming are my two favorite states.
So yes, Grandma did it! At 60 years old, I achieved my dream of driving across country, by myself.
Just me, and my thoughts. I could stop when I wanted, eat when I wanted, stop along the way just to look at all the beautiful creatures. It was an AMAZING experience!
This truly was Grandma's Big Adventure!

Football fan???

So I'm really not a Redskins fan.  I'll watch football but don't really get that much into it.  Scott on the other hand is like Sto ... a Hugh Redskins fan.  Two weeks ago I got us VIP tickets for training camp here thanks to Geico and the Redskins.  Then tonight I get an awesome email from the Redskins saying I won ONE VIP pass for this Sundays practice.   :-)  Sto and Scott are so jealous!!!  Lol

Hot August Nights.....

 



I am sure you have heard about Kat talk about Hot August Nights in Reno. It is held for 1 week. This year it was from the last few days in July on to August 3rd.....today as a mater of fact. There are cars and trucks EVERYWHERE! Every casino have them inside.....and outside. You see them driving down the road. You see them broke down on the side of a mountain. You see them everywhere!!
Cameron and Randy, you would be in HEAVEN!!
Just google "Hot August Nights" and look at all the photos! You will be in for a treat.