December Vacation

It's been awhile since I've had time to update my blog, but I'm going to try to do better.

Last Spring Bill and I decided to wait until this winter to go see my Dad in So. Calif. I'm so glad we did. We loved it, not only because we got to be there for my Dad's 88th birthday, but because the weather was nearly perfect, there were no crowds and it wasn't 120* in Palm Springs when we went to see my mom. We had a great time walking on the beach, biking down to Balboa and having lunch at the Fun Zone. In spite of a mishap with my dad's finger, on his birthday and needing 10 stitches, it was a perfect trip. It has been years since Bill could come with me. It's hard for him to go in the summer, since he can't just sit in the sun for hours, he burns to easily, but this was perfect. We sat on the beach and watched the Dolphins and Seals, the surfers and just relaxed, besides the fact that the beach was nearly empty. It was wonderful!

It was about 68* to 70* every day, perfect for Bill. I love that we can walk everywhere.

The Newport Beach Pier from a distance, notice the crowds? It was like having our own beach.

Another picture of the Newport Beach Pier from 33rd Street.

Each evening, to keep with tradition and because it really is fun, we play Aggrevation and "31". We really had a lot of fun. I don't know how he does it, but my dad is the CHAMPION. I don't know how he does it, but he does. I thinks he lets us win once during the trip just so we won't feel back, but really, he wins all the time. It is so fun and the evenings are full of fun and laughter.

Dad in action, I'm sure he won this game as well. Notice the bandage on his finger. Luckily it is healing well.

Another fun evening

Yes, the T-shirt made it official, he is the Aggrevation Champion!

Bill and I rode the bikes down to the Fun Zone and had lunch. It was a beautiful day and so nice without the crowds. I used to ride a Moped (remember those?) down to the Balboa Island ferry to work on the Island.

It really was a beautiful day!

We took a day and drove to Palm Springs, the weather was beautiful there too. We had a great visit with mom and all went to lunch at Appleby's. We even got a Blondie. Yum!

Just one more picture. The Seals were out in force, as were the Dolphins. Every time I tried to take a picture of the Dolphins they disappeared, but we saw them nearly every day as we sat and relaxed on the beach. But we did get a picture of the Seals.

We had a wonderful time and have decided this is when we will try to go every year, probably not before Christams, as it made things very hectic, but we are thinking of January for next year. Bill's folks live in Tucson now and we had hoped to go down there, but we found out that we need to be there in April to help out, so decided to skip it this time. Hopefully we will be able to work that into our trip in January 2010. (that sounds so far away, doesn't it!). We will stop and see mom and dad again in April on our way to Tucson, but will only be able to stay one night. Bill's brother needs us to go and stay with Bud and Madelene for a week while they are in Germany, we are dividing time between all the brothers. But even one evening of Aggrevation will be fun.

Time for more fun

Where does time go? It's amazing how fast the days go by. I need more weekend days to be able to get more done.

My newest happening is that I got a new calling, or should I say another one since they didn't release me from teaching my class (Gospel Doctrine, which I do every other month). I've been called back to YW, can you believe it! I'm the 2nd Counselor, Go Beehives!!! With all the new young people in our ward it took me totally by surprise. That said, we are going to have a great time! Maren Evans is the President. She was the YW President in Reedsport when I was serving in the Stake YW, so I know her well. Tammy Holmes is the 1st Counselor. She is also incredibly awesome. For those of you who know our ward, Nola Xavier is the Beehive Advisor and teaches the lesson on Sunday. She is a great teacher and a wonderful woman. Marianne Wherity is the Mia Maid and Laurel Advisor and Erin Felt is the PP Leader. They are also great women. So we have a full house, except for a Secretary, but Tammy loves that kind of thing and is wonderful at it, so that will wait.

We had a fun activity last Wednesday. We did a Service Scavenger Hunt. It was so fun. Each act of service had a different number of points. I'm just getting a blog up and running for the girls, so I'll let you know when it is a go and you can see pictures there. Hopefully it will be in a day or two, if the days slow down. Actually Beth is working on a blog banner for me and I've been trying to get all the girls together in one picture, well, that' s not going to happen. So I'll have to add them as I get them.

Last Saturday we had a Temple trip to the Medford Temple. I will share a picture of that. We didn't have everyone there, but we did have a great time. Aren't they a great looking bunch, the kids I mean! Brother Wherity is on the far left, he is the YM President, Brother Larson is one of his counselors and then on the other side, next to me, are the Suckows. I'll go over the kids names on our YW Blog.

During our Presidency meeting today we started talking about the new DVD that just came out "Reflections of Christ". My sister Alana sent it to me before the DVD was out and so I might have forwarded it on to some of you. If you haven't seen it, it is wonderful. I'll try to get it on here so you can watch it. If any of you hear of them touring anywhere in Oregon, Washington or Northern California, would you please let me know. Reflections of Christ:

http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/2008/03/reflections-sli.html

If this doesn't work email me and I'll forward it on to you. I hope you like it as much as I do. If anyone can tell me a better way of sharing it here, let me know.

Chip and Andrea

Chip and Andrea came over a few days ago to visit. We love it when they come over, we have a lot of fun visiting with them. It doesn't happen often enough, but we love it when it does. I FINALLY got Chips socks done and gave them to him. He found my camera and messed with it. He now officially knows how to work it better than I do. Because he had the camera all night he is the one who took the pictures. Here are some pictures of his socks, which fit perfectly I may add (yeah!): I actually took the first ones of both of them, you can tell the self portrait ones.

Don't they look nice, and notice the fit? They seem to fit perfectly. They were a lot of fun to knit, especially since I constantly thought of him while doing it. They took me forever to finish, but that was because I knit them twice. I got all the way to the toe and realized they were way too big. Well, I knew that before and kept mentioning this to my knitting guru and she kept saying, no they will be fine, no problem, they'll fit. I kept looking at them and saying Chips legs just aren't this big around. Well, I should have trusted my gut because by the time I got to the toes (1-1/2" to the end) I realized I was right AND I ran out of yarn. Not a good thing. So, ripped them all out and started over (good practice since these are just my second pair of socks) and these went way faster and fit. Yeah! He seemed to like them. I'll call him in a day or two and see if he has worn them much and see if he still does. I think Andrea would like a pair, so I will make her some too. I'll post them when I get them done. For those of you who don't know Andrea, here is a picture Chip took of her when goofing around. We really love this girl. She is so fun to be around. She is easy going and so busy with work and school. I love both of my daughters-in-law actually, they are great gals!

The other part of their family is Lucy, but I don't have a picture of Lucy, wait, I might if I can figure out how to get it out of an e-mail...

I can't believe I figured it out. I had to copy it to my jump drive. Really, I don't know how to do anything like that on my computer.

So, this is Lucy. Isn't she cute! I love her bark, if you can call it that. It kind of sounds like a bark with a cold, kind of part bark, part howl. It makes me laugh whenever I hear her. I just wish I had 1/4 of her energy, though that might be too much. She's calming down a little bit as she gets older, but she is still excited to see people. She is very friendly.

Well, better get off and finish something else. I may add, I got everything done on my list today, it was a good day, storming like crazy, but good. Oh, here are the cookies I made today. (Not even on my list) They are the most yummy cookies and usually are the only ones I make. They have chocolate chips, oatmeal and peanut butter in them. I don't eat cookies usually, but the family likes them.

How do you like the tray? My sister Alana sent it to me for my birthday. Isn't it great! Thought I would show you my pumpkin pillow I made a few years ago since it was sitting right there.

Hope you have a nice night! More happening of life continuing on while I'm sick in the next day or two.

Okay, so when I posted everything was all jumbled up, so I hope I have it fixed now. Let's see.

Well, it didn't quite fix. So here is a question for all you people that know what you are doing. How do I make the part of my blog where the posts go, wider? I would also like to know how to make it a three column so I can add a calendar of events to a blog. If anyone knows how to do this or where there is a tutorial is, I would appreciate it. If it is a long thing, you can email me at luscott@peacehealth.org. Thanks. I need help! Might as well as one more thing. I want to know how to put like a 9 patch of pictures together and then when you drag your curser over them the one gets larger. Do you know what I mean? How do I do that?

Ward Carnival

I'm back and I have a couple of things to share.


First, I have been sick! It hasn't been fun, let me tell you. It was only a cold, I think, but it took me down for days, not even able to work. Then even a week later I was getting such bad chills my ribs hurt, if any of you know me, I do not get cold, ever! For days I was so chilled I couldn't get warm. But I'm back and have lots to say, surprised? While I was sick life continued on, as it does for us all.


I was called to help with the Fall Carnival in our ward and I couldn't refuse, she couldn't find anyone to help, so I rounded up Bethany and Lyn and we got it all done. It wasn't really a "Halloween Party" but the kids still dressed up. I just took a couple of pictures before my battery died, but I'll share these. Now just so you can appreciate this picture let me explain it a little bit. This is Calista and Mia. Calista was one of my Beehives 10 years or so ago. I tried like crazy to get her picture, over and over again and all I ever got was the back of her head running away or an arm up over her face. I NEVER got a picture of her. So, when she sat here and I asked if I could take her picture I was SO VERY HAPPY that she just simply said, yes. It's amazing what a baby does to change our outlook. I LOVE this girl and it has been fun watching her grow up to such a beautiful wife and mother. Now you can look at her little burrito. Yes, I said burrito. Isn't she the cutest thing, all wrapped up in a tortilla shell with lettuce, cheese and tomato. I think I have a close up of her, hang on.

Okay, here it is. Isn't she adorable. I guess Carissa made it for her. (Calista's sister)

The carnival was a lot of fun and we had a ton of people show up. It was called Wally Wonka's Most Excellent Carnival, (Wally is our Bishop's name) or something like that. You can see more pictures of it on Bethany and Lyn's blog.

Well there is the first part of my life while sick, more to come soon. I've got to get the rest of these cookies made and get a card made, so I'll be back later today or tomorrow or...as soon as I can. :)

It's fall on the Oregon Coast, well, it's fall everywhere, but you know what I mean. I love it! Last Saturday, oops, I guess it was the Saturday before that, anyway, Bill was outside to pull in the last of the branches and finally burn the pile that has been gathering all summer long. We can officially burn our burn pile. It's just one of the fall things we do here after we get our first good rain, and boy did we have it. I can't believe I'm actually saying it, but it was kind of nice for a change. Seriously, did I just admit that the rain was kind of nice? I'll reevaluate later this winter after our first 30". Anyway, back to "the burn".

I'm not sure Bill likes me taking his picture while he is out doing his normal stuff. He just doesn't get the whole blog thing yet, but he's coming around. Besides, he is the major thing that makes my life so good, so he has to let me, right??? So here are two more pictures of the man at work and his fire.

It actually got really, really tall, but I had to run to town and missed it. I think Lane, Shay and Todd, three of my nephews, could really get into this. I hear they love doing monster fires. I kind of like it too, though it seems I rarely have time to just go out and sit and watch it burn, when it finally dies down enough to enjoy it. I've been trying to get a fire pit in my yard for years now, don't have one yet, but we will some day. Until then, we have the fall burn, and I love it.

Here is another reason I love fall here.

Mutsu Apples! I love Mutsu apples. They are crisp and tart, but not too tart. I love them! Here is the whole tree.

Something happened to another of our apple trees (we have 3), but we can't figure it out. Bill thinks it was 50 mph winds we had a few weeks ago. I think it was either a bear or elk trying to eat the apples, which happens every year.

I don't know if you can see this or not, but a whole branch is broken and just hanging there. I'm sure some large animal was either leaning on it to get higher, or climbed up and thought it would hold his 500 lb bear body, who knows, but we lost a big limb. Honestly, we don't take great care of these trees, I keep forgetting to get someone in here in January that can prune it and spray it for blight, or whatever apples get. We really need to do better, cause they are yummy. Why don't you all come visit next October and have one!

Our Temple Weekend

One weekend a month Shirley Kilmer and I serve in the Medford Oregon Temple. It is one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I knew I would love doing it, but never really realized how much it would actually change my life. My only wish is that we lived closer than 3-1/2 hours away and could go more often.

If you want to know more about Temples--click here

I have met some wonderful people who have opened their homes for us to stay the night, as well as those I serve with in the Temple. We work Friday evening shift and then early Saturday morning shift before heading home. It is actually in Central Point, Oregon. My life has been blessed by serving there. I can't even begin to explain it, but it is a choice experience that I hope will last a lifetime, in which ever temple we are living near. Here is another picture of it.

When it was first being built Lyn Winona and I would take our kids, Zach, Maddie, Dustin and Jenny Eichelberger and Hailie Mulder. We went to the ground breaking, corner stone. I can't remember all of it. I'll try to figure out how to copy a 12x12 scrapbook page I have of it to show some pictures. Does anyone have any idea on how to do that?

The Portland Oregon Temple is closer to us by about 1/2 an hour, but because we live the farthest north in our Stake (which goes from Florence, which is about at the Central Oregon Coast point down to the California Border), the Medford Temple is closer for everyone else. I keep trying to tell people we need one centrally located on the Coast and that Florence would be a wonderful spot. We just happen to have a few acres for sale next door. Why won't anyone listen!!! :)

It is a wonderful weekend and is always hard to leave. We have a great time and just chat up a storm about so many things going there and back. It has been a fun thing to do with Shirley.

Here is a try at scanning an 8-1/2 x 11, but it came out short for some reason, but I did get it in. It had trouble reading the SD disk. Anyway, you get the idea.

Afternoon walk on our beach

Yesterday we went for an afternoon walk on our beach. We have to walk down this trail on a cliff north of us to get there.

We are so used to being the only ones on "our" beach, so it was very strange to see people there. What's with that! We must have seen eight people. I know, we're spoiled. I can't say I blame anyone. It was a gorgeous day, the tide was out, though not quite far enough to reach the cave, but it was very nice. I just walked around in a T-shirt most of the time. We did get a picture of us which was kind of nice, I guess. Dare I put this up!!!

Quick, scroll down! Usually when the tide is out this far we find tons of sand dollars, so we were excited and both brought our own bags to gather. There weren't any! Not even one! We were so surprised, there were no shells of any kind. There have been times when we have picked up 35 at a time, for 3 days in a row, or some crazy number like that. It isn't usually that good, but last year it was. What there was however, that was also very different, are those sand crabs. You know, the ones that come in on a wave and dig down into the sand. In Newport they are just tiny, these were all pretty big, maybe 1.5" long. Big things. There were hundreds of them, all looking like dinner for all the seagulls lurking about. I took it on myself to "save" as many as I could see. Some of them couldn't dig down deep enough to be hid because the sand was to compact. They were like kids that hid their heads and thought no one could see them. The picture is a little blurry, but you can see how big they are. This is just his hiney.

When I was a little girl my dad used to put me on his shoulders and we used to go out in the ocean in Newport Beach, CA. He would reach down and bring up these same crabs but they were almost as big as his hands. I have to tell you, it freaked me out, they were HUGE! So, I spent the afternoon digging up a bunch of them and putting them in pools of water that were everywhere, where they could dig deeper into softer sand. There were so many I finally had to just not look down anymore. I think Bill thought I was nuts. So what's new.

We also saw some star fish, I know we are supposed to call them Sea Stars now, but whatever.

Here are a couple more pictures of the day. See, people on our beach! :)

These are all over the side of the cliff. You can walk by them and they are making spitting and popping noises.

Relaxing on the cliff with the warm sun on my face. It felt so good!

You should all come with us next time!

I love my life

I have a great life! I live in a beautiful place, even if it does rain a little to much for me. I have a great husband who loves me, wonderful kids (3 boys), awesome daughters-in-law (2 for now) and the most beautiful granddaughter in the world. I have two sisters that are THE BEST, the most incredibly awesome nieces and nephews and wonderful friends that make me laugh until I either cry or wet my pants (my sisters have been known to cause this as well). I have 2 cats that love to sit on my lap, elk in my yard, a beautiful view of a pasture full of horses, a bear every now and then, chickens in the yard, a cow in the pasture, a flock of Canadian geese and a beautiful coast line close by. Who could ask for more, and yet, there is so much more that makes my life wonderful, which will probably be brought out in the future.


In spite of all of that, I live a pretty boring life. Pretty much the same day in and day out, not too much drama (though we haven't been totally exempt from drama). This is what makes it hard for me to imagine anyone wanting to read about my life. However, it looks so fun and I like to read about what all my friends are doing, so I thought I would give it a try. So, if you find yourself bored with my life, that's okay. I get it. Sometimes I am too. :) Nonetheless, I have a great life and I know it! I am grateful for that and try to express it every day of my life.


Because I am new at this, I have a lot to learn about how to even do it all. I only got this up and started because a great friend, Bethany, was patient as I sat next to her today and kept asking her to tweak this or that, over and over again. This was after she and I emailed back and forth more times that I want to admit. Did I mention she is incredibly patient with me? I promised her that I would learn to do it myself, though she will have to teach me. In the long run, I think it will be worth it to her. I hope! What a great gal she is.



So, here goes. Let's see if I can do this