One Less Thing on My Bucket List

Before I kick the bucket, I wanted to see a sheet of ice fall from a glacier...
I DID!
We saw and watched the Hubbard Glacier yesterday. Blue! Huge! Silent! Thunderous! Cold! (Duh, on that one). The glacier (I almost wrote 'thing' instead of glacier - how irreverent!) is 40 stories tall, 26 miles wide and I don't how deep it is....but MASSIVELY MENACING. We also got a cultural perspective from a ? tribe, and a scientific perspective from a park ranger.

Global Warming? to quote the park ranger...Global Warming is a new field of science and because of that a lot of mistakes have been made and will be made. The earth IS warming, but it is most likely the natural cycle of the earth...what has YET to be determined is what part we earthings have had in it. Here's my belief...for what it's worth...it is a natural cycle determined by our Father in Heaven and His Son...but we earthlings have been irresponsible and haven't taken care of the precious home as we should have.


OFF to Sitka!

OH NO! we are leaving Juneau

I just walked out on the verandah and watched Juneau fading away. I am a little sad. It is really a unique city. The only way that it can be reached is by air or water. It is literally built on the side of a mountain that builds from the shore. VERY unique. We weren't able to go on the float boat today because the cloud deck was too low. I guess safety comes first. We wandered around the town and purchased WAY too much stuff. I have a very generous husband and a new set of diamond stud earrings . We shopped for the Witt/Hansen families. The school teacher got the best of me and I bought a children's book. Oh, well...you'll just have to accept me for what I am...a kindergarten teacher...yep, I think that is what will happen. It is 10:00 pm and still light enough outside to read. And that is with the fog setting in. What a delightful few days. Tomorrow we get to visit an inland passage and view the Hubbard glacier. I have wanted to see a glacier for YEARS. I love it when I get what I want.

It's not that I haven't had a fabulous summer!

In my mind I have blogged so many times and about so many different things...it just never really happened. BUT, this is really happening right now! I am about 6 hours away from Juneau Alaska...REALLY! We are in a beautiful veranda suite because the cruise line upgraded us from just a veranda to a veranda suite. We are having a wonderful time! That sure sounded dumb, but how else could I say it? There is so much to do on the boat and as most everyone knows, sooo much food and it is excellent! I swore I wouldn't overeat...I wanted to do it differently...NOPE! The gentle rocking of the ship and the QUIET of the ocean is food for thought. I also happen to be with good company...Mickey! We have taken some spectacular pictures and I will post them later...Yeh, right!

Tomorrow we will take a float plane tour of several glaciers, and go to a mountain lodge.

The staff of the liner sure wants us to buy some diamonds in Juneau...we'll see about that.

Should I report in later?

You can tell I'm no photographer!

I'm cracking myself up (which is usually the case)! I just enlarged one of the pictures of the play structure - what else should I call it? - and I noticed that it looks like a giant bird feeder is part of the 'structure'. Yay for great composition. The bird feeder is attached to the tree, not the play place. DUH, Sue!

So, here's what's new at our house, the play area in the backyard. It's actually not even an eyesore. Lots of the grandkids have been over to play on it and it has been accepted as a member of the family. I love our backyard! We still have the area behind Gma Betty's room/little patio for the kids to play baseball. And the roses/flowers are lovely (that's a Bailey word). Dang!this is a great time of year.

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I almost forgot!

Just gotta add this to the 63 year old birthday note...

Mickey! Mickey! ... you're so fine! You're so fine you blow my mind !...Hey, Mickey!

(just had to do it!)

Why is May 8th important?

Because that is the day 63 years ago...(yes, six-three), when Mickey happened. Gee, that must mean that May 8th is his birthday! YEP! He sure is easy when it comes to birthdays. All he wants is a phone call or a b-day card. That's good because I can NEVER figure out what to buy him. He's such a little shopper that he buys stuff when he wants it. AHHHHH!

May 8th sure has made my life more enjoyable. I love his laugh! I love his big hairy hands. I love his voice. I love it that for the next couple of weeks he is 3 years older than me. I love it that he lets me stay at school until I get my work done. I love it that I get to have my house cleaned professionally every two weeks, and I don't have to feel embarrassed or guilty. I love it that he took me out of the world of 'singlehood' almost 14 years ago. I love it that he will go to the temple with me or let me go alone if I need to. He just has not thwarted or squelched me in any way AT ALL. If I want to go on a road trip with Lindsay, Carter, and Marin, he just says go ahead and have fun. He knows how much my kids and grandkids mean to me. And he thinks I am really funny. I do have those frequent 'blonde' moments and he just laughs. And, he sure is good to my mom. Yep, I scored when I married that man who is 63 years old today. Dang, he is old!

To quote Andie...'Going, Going,...GONE

This used to be my school creative corner/classroom. BUT things will be changing the first part of June. I have been instructed that I WILL BE CHANGING ROOMS. I think I will be in Room 8 instead of Room 22. I am truly sad. I loved my room. I had a beautiful view from the windows that were on the east and west side of my room. There it was,a beautiful lawn that fed Canadian Geese as they traveled from North to South. The field is ( I should say 'was' because it will only be in my imagination from now on, except for minute views as I traverse the campus) bordered by tall leafy evergreen trees that monitored the breezes. What a beautiful, open view of where the sky meets the earth. I did love watching the clouds move across the window. The other window has some of my favorite deciduous trees - Chinese talo. I watched the seasons change through the leaves of those trees. DANG! I am NOT happy...did I already mention that?

A Small but Lovely (that's Bailey's new word) Birthday

A small, but loving celebration of Marin. Andie, Morgan, Easton, Bailey, Grandma Jill, Emily, Logan, Papa Mickey, Lindsay & Norm (DUH!), Grandma Betty, and me were all there. That is one hecka long clumsy sentence.

A Pink Birthday Party

Marin is three and LOVES pink (and just as a side note...so does Carter!) We loved watching her Tuesday night. Thinking about where she has been and what she has had to endure just made the celebration sweeter.

What is a Lindsay?

A Lindsay is 30 years old on April 9th.
A Lindsay is a wife, a mom, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a friend, a sister-in-law, a niece, an aunt, a stepdaughter, a homemaker, a college graduate, a hairstylist, a coach, a mom/cardiologist, a caregiver, a Primary teacher, a minimalist (she is NOT a clutter collector), a home designed card/announcement maker, a tennis player, a dancer and a singer. There is much more to be said and I have risked leaving something out as I have created this list. But above all, she is someone I am so grateful to call my daughter. She does it ALL and she does it with flair and kindness. She is one determined woman. Happy Birthday, Lins.

Oh, brother

I wonder if I could figure out how to blog in correct order if I did it more often. Nope, I doubt it! Should I keep on trying? Maybe...

Palo Alto with the Sells Family

Carter and I took a jaunt to a park in Palo Alto. Norm and Lindsay were busy at the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital with Marin. She was involved with the pre-op process. Carter had a great time and found LOTS to do and he didn't even get hurt under my watch...RELIEF! I would not want to explain to Norm how one of his kids was injured...FEAR!

We met at the park and then went to the Stanford Mall. Holy Cow! That place is beautiful! It could be because the stores there are the kind where people go there who have too much money and don't have the good sense to know how to use it. Stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstom, Coach, etc. I bought a $30.00 keychain. OOPS! I have joined those who don't know how to spend their money and I don't even have it! Cute keychain, though. It was great fun!

What's Going On...

Look at what was waiting for me when I returned from Palo Alto...I am one lucky lass! Thank you, Sis Sue! I just love them! And they are the very first things I ever won...is this a beginning?