April Snows bring May blows (wind, and plenty of it)

Ah, Colorado weather!  Early this week, we got another snowstorm, which continued Monday and Tuesday, with temperatures reaching 80 degrees by the weekend.  Go figure!  I'm thinking back to Tuesday morning when Meredith had to drive from Ogallala to Denver in a storm to take her comps for her Masters degree.  She reports it took five hours to get there!  She did great on her comps and we all look forward to her graduation on Saturday.  They are settling in to their new home, which has included a multitude of challenges, beginning with the lack of closet space and including a weekend of work on a yard which has been neglected for quite some time.

 

Brad and Curt working hard to complete a job by Wednesday of this week, and Brad has been really fatigued.  He said yesterday, while working on our own yard for awhile, how really bone tired he was.  Typically, the first time he fires up the lawnmower for the year, it's challenging: made even more so this year by his lack of memory.  After looking for the manual, he enlisted my help and the internet came through once again!  Seems the mower was missing a part, which he located and along with the pictures online was able to reattach and mow the front lawn.  Hopefully, he got enough rest

yesterday to forge ahead again this week.  I was shocked to look out my window and see this view yesterday!

Gramma's doctor has been telling her for quite some time to get outside and get some Vitamin D.  I think she was really disappointed to hear that Sunday dinner wasn't happening yesterday.  I know she looks forward to it as much as we do.  We'll make up for it next weekend when the Taylors are here!  We are already planning the meal!  Not only will we celebrate Meredith's graduation, but also Amie's first marathon on Sunday morning.  (Sounds tortuous to me.)

I watched Grayson Friday morning while Amie had physical therapy on her foot.  Grayson still goes directly for the pots and pans at every visit and this week discovered the pleasure of cooking with spices!  I found  some empty containers for him to play with, but apparently those just didn't quite make the cut, and he wanted some of Grandpa's spices!

 Corbin came later that morning and then together we picked Gabi up from school.  The kids wanted a snack and Gabi came up with some very unique ideas for what that should be...no apples, chips or veggies for her, no! she wanted to "make" something, so we settled on ice cream sundaes with LOTS of toppings.  They enjoyed it, although Carrie wasn't that thrilled with the "sugar high" they were both on when she picked them up.

Love this picture of Gabi and Grandpa!

My week? 

 

I thought it was a good week to work on my Spring mantle.  After getting a foot of snow early in the week, it seemed like just the right time to roll out the tulips and gardening gloves!

As is typical of Colorado, the snow had already completely melted by Saturday.  The farmers here are ecstatic about the amount of moisture this storm brought our way. Our Ft. Collins friends reported that they had twice as much as we did, so we should be good to go.

Is there anything sadder than a moving truck (well, yes, but I've always felt that way seeing one in front of anyones' house, but now the reality of part of our family leaving really transpired on Friday.  Brad and I went to say our goodbye's to the kids, taking Corbin along so that he could say goodbye to his favorite cousin, Buddy.

We wish them the best!  I am thinking about the kids as I write this today.  They will start school this morning in two separate areas of town.  Emma reported yesterday that she had read over the handbook for her school and that she would be assigned someone to escort her from classroom to classroom today.  Meredith had a tough weekend, moving into a house that wasn't quite what she expected (having only seen it online before moving in) and required a lot of cleaning beforehand.  She's amazed by the number of cupboards in the kitchen and claims she'll never be able to fill them all, and dismayed by the closet space in the house. They made a trip to Alco (that's the discount store in Ogallala) to get a rolling clothes rack to use as a make-shift closet.  By the way, their new address is 820 N. Spruce St., Ogallala, NE 69513.  We sure missed them at Sunday dinner yesterday!  Carrie and I tried to "puzzle" after dinner (I made a chicken, pasta, spinach casserole , asparagus and some cornbread and Amie made a cake- you know the one, Meredith, with a can of pumpkin in it?), but it just wasn't the same without Mer!

Curt and Amie finally made the decision to get a puppy, after months of requests from Sophie (and probably Rory, too).  They got "Odin" on Friday and he is reportedly a good puppy (a border collie mix) and reminds us of Bernie, the dog we had in the 90's.  The other update was that Amie ran her 20 mile run (yeah, just to Windsor and back) in training for her upcoming marathon next month.  Perhaps Sophie will follow in her Mom's footsteps as she ran a 5K with her Aunt Heather on Saturday. 

 

Also, news from the Frost family.  They have made a decision to sell their house and build a new home in Eaton (which I'm told is "only 8 minutes away!") and picked out a lot and a floor plan this weekend.  Not sure when the building will begin- before or after the sale of their current home.  They're very excited about it and took us to look at it on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow

We've had quite possibly the windiest week we've had in ages, which is why I am writing this post in the wee hours of the morning.  Between the wind and Gramma's coughing, (she apparently has the same crud that has been running through the family for the past couple of weeks) I'm finding it challenging to sleep.  The weather people are predicting another winter storm this week, although their predicitons haven't exactly been "spot on" these past few weeks!  Most of us are assuming that it means more blowing and less snowing, but our 10% chance of flurries overnight seems to have actually materialized. 

Brad and I went to Denver Thursday to see his neuro oncologist, Dr. Ney.  We really didn't get any unexpected updates- just the new chemo protocol which will be 5 days of double his previous dosage, then three weeks off.  Amazingly, the chemo drug which was so difficult to get was stocked in the pharmacy at University Hospital.  That should alleviate my stress as far as obtaining the prescription goes, but the paying for it remains painful.  We will continue to have appointments once a month to monitor his progress.  We are so grateful that he feels good and is able to work.

Friday night, Roger (Amie's dad) was generous enough to get tickets for Amie and Rory to see the Blue Man Group at the Buell Theatre in Denver.  Amie and Rory had a fun "date night" and Rory reported that it was a great show.

Saturday we played bridge and I will once again report that his playing exceeded mine!  While we were doing that, the girls took the little kids to the Plumb Baby Animal farm, an annual tradition, and one that I was a little disappointed to have missed.  We took Rory and Emma to it when they were old enough to walk, and have been going every year since.
These were a few of the pictures the girls shared.

Grayson wasn't so fond of any of it, crying when Meredith took him to pet the baby lambs, and not enjoying the pony ride either!

On Saturday night, some of Emma's friends had a surprise going away party for her
at Santeramos Italian Restaurant (the same place where my surprise 60th birthday party was held).  Brad and I were excited to be there for the surprise as well as a great meal!

She really was surprised!

Sunday was  Meredith's day to head east to Nebraska.  She stopped by for some hugs (and tears) before she left...She will start her new position today in Ogallala.
We had dinner Sunday, making the "hard to beat" French Dip sandwiches and Amie (and Sophie) brought dessert-some ice cream, caramel, cookie crumb concoction that was  yummy.  Meredith, if you're reading this, we miss you ! And your desserts, as well, although I think your legacy will continue through Amie!

Saying good-bye

This week has been spent planning the all important party for Meredith; a time to say goodbye to friends and former co-workers as she embarks on her Nebraskan journey.  Considering that we didn't do formal invitations (just word of mouth, Facebook and email) we had a great turnout for the party.  Shows how much those who know her think of her....

Carrie found someone to cater who did a great job.  He brought thin sliced roast sirloin served on flat bread or rolls, along with a spicy jardiniere, humus, some red pepper dip,  and fresh veggies.  We had sixty people, including a bunch of kids who played great together (outside- a beautiful evening).  I really planned on taking lots of pictures, but the more people who showed up, the less my camera got used.  One of the surprise guests was Elizabeth (Haythorn) Perkins, who was Meredith's maid of honor at her wedding. Good visiting with her!

Meredith & Elizabeth

We gathered again on Sunday, for our last day with Mer and the kids.  Brad grilled some burgers and we polished off the leftover dip from the party.  Sarah was here for her weekend of "saloning", so we all look fresh with our new cuts and colors.  Corbin and Trent had an amazing time together, and can we all say, once again, just how appreciative we are to have her fly out from California every 8 weeks? She SAYS she doesn't mind, but, hmmmm, I wonder!
The weather people are predicting a huge snowstorm (6-12" here) on Tuesday, so we're glad they'll get back before then.

Easter....new beginnings

It's been a beautiful spring-like week and a few little flowers have popped out since last weeks' snow has melted.  The Easter decorations are up just in time.

Glad to have these warmer temperatures for the start of Spring Vacation (for the kids, anyway).  Had a busy but great week, starting of the weekend on Thursday evening with a Disney On Ice show at the Budweiser Center.  Carrie, Amie and I took Sophie, Gabi and Corbin who all three loved the performance and were asleep in the car before we got home!

 On Friday, Brad had his MRI in Loveland early that morning, followed by breakfast (oooh, just the two of us!) at CrackerBarrel.  We came home and did some tidying up and some errands and then drove to Aurora to get Mom.  Gramma went with us as it has been many years since she ventured out of northern Colorado and said she enjoyed the drive. We got back just in time to drive to Ft. Collins for Brad's follow-up appointment upon completion of his radiation.  It was strange being there again after routinely checking in every evening at 6:15.  Great news, though, as his MRI showed that the treatment did work!  Apparently, most of the family members were apprehensive about the outcome, except for me!  I knew it'd be good!  Our next visit will be in a couple of weeks back at University.  Brad hopes that Dr. Nye will cut back his dosage of Keppra (anti-seizure drug).

On Saturday, we all gathered at Amie's house to dye eggs.  Of course, the older kids thought egg dying was beneath them, so they bailed right away.  Grayson got into to the whole thing, spilling all of the green dye and soaking his socks in the yellow.  We found that the markers were a better choice for him than the dyes!  Gabi and Sophie were all about the glitter dyes....

 

It was a beautiful Spring day and we all enjoyed being outside, the two Grammas included!
Meredith and her family took Grandma Butler to church with them Saturday night for Easter
services, while Brad and I made dinner.  Sunday morning arrived with a gorgeous sunrise.  Mom
had intended to stay until Tuesday when her flight home was scheduled, but decided that with
the weather forecasting a change on Monday night, she would go back with Don and Vicki following
Easter dinner.  We had a scrumptious (I thought so, anyway!) dinner of turkey with the
usual side dishes and salads and other sides contributed by guests, Don and Vicki and
Amies' Mom, Susan.   
After dinner, the kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt and I'm fairly certain that theirchocolate levels were high!