Our Niece Has Inspired Me to Update!

Yes I know that I posted my pumpkins last year but our niece Kerrie finally updated her blog and invited her readers to share their favorite fall decor or recipes. Since I'm indebted to her because some of my favorite blogs have been found through her site, I had to share my mantle in her honor and besides, this year I added orange lights! Kerrie if you check back on Friday, I will try to have made one of my favorite fall recipes and taken a picture of it. I'll even include the recipe! Wow, now I'm committed to 2 posts in one week. I think that will be a record! The picture below explains why we had to break down and spend nearly $10,000 to have a new roof put on our house. We were afraid if we waited until we got an offer (by some miracle) that the shingles would not pass inspection and could cause a sell to fall through. Thus, painful as it was, we took the money out of savings and hoped and prayed we are not throwing more good money after bad. We have already lost a great deal of money on this Florida venture. Anyway.... the picture below is one of many areas they ran into that had rot in the plywood. Our $8,000 roof job ended up being closer to $10,000. They even had to replace some rafters in the garage! When they gave us that bit of news we declared loudly and clearly: NO MORE SURPRISES ALLOWED!

The last picture depicts the biggest frustration of all. One of the main reasons we decided to have the project done was to avoid any leaks that would inevitably come and end up damaging the interior ceiling. The roofers exposed an area on a day when we were hit with a downpour and they didn't properly cover the vulnerable spot. Within minutes, Gary noticed water dripping down from the upstairs ceiling. When he hollered at the roofers who had taken refuge on our covered patio they started yelling at each other, "I told you to cover that area better!" They new exactly where the problem would be because when Gary let them in, they went right to the place they expected to find the indoor waterfall!
Our friend who does excellent dry-wall work is going to try to get it repaired in the next few days. Hopefully he can because we would hate to tell someone they couldn't come look at the house. Those potential buyers here are so few and far between we can't afford to miss out on a single "lookie lou"!

And there you have the oh-so-noticable water stain. Well Kerrie, thanks for inspiring me to update. It is still sticky, sultry summertime here but it makes me happy to know that our family is enjoying the most beautiful time of the year. Check back on Friday for hopefully a yummy, fall recipe! If you read this Kerrie, I would love your e-mail address!

Sam's Blessing Day

It is obvious to everyone that I really don't get this "blogging thing". I had to post 2 different times to get 9 of the pictures in that I took while on my trip. Nothing is ever in the order I plan it to be but I just do the best I can and hope the few people who visit my blog once in a while will understand that I am "technologically challenged". This family picture was taken on our way to church on Sam's special blessing day. Paul gave him a beautiful blessing and I felt so blessed to be there. I was glad that Gary insisted I make the trip in spite of his serious health issues. Zachary, Rachel and even Emily sang all the verses to the new primary song they have learned this year for the Primary program coming up. The entire congregation was amazed that they were able to memorize every word and sing so clearly and beautifully! It was a real treat for nana! Aunt Renie and Uncle Randy made it for the blessing then hurried off to fulfill responsibilities in their own ward. Uncle Kent was able to attend the meeting and the nice luncheon afterward although Aleta was unable to get away from her ward duties. Of course Grandma and Grandpa Sumner drove down from Logan to add their love and support.

Paul had the day off Thurs. so he drove us all to temple square where I was able to meet up with the Mohlmans and then to the Salt Lake City Cemetary where they drove right to Pres. Hinckley's gravesite. We had a good time walking through the old pioneer graves too.

The Boltons are related to the pioneer who built and lived in this cabin which now sits between the Family History Library and the Museum right across the street from Temple Square.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dry air, the time with family including: A barbeque at Renie and Randy's home with their children (delicious food! great company!) ; a visit with Gary's folks in Jerome because my parents were willing to drive me to Boise to see Ariann and family; time to visit with my parents while we traveled and time to help Aubrey with a few projects around the house, allowing her time to get a bit caught up on her photography business. She has her hands so full I don't know how she does it but she does! It was good to be able to see where the Wheelers have landed in Idaho so that I can now picture their surroundings when we talk on the phone. Poor Ariann is absolutely miserable with a case of the hives that I didn't know was possible. Every bit of her body is covered---including the bottoms of her feet! Please keep her in your prayers as doctors are finally realizing how serious her condition is and running tests to find out what is going on! Gary is going back to the Mayo Clinic on the 2nd of September for another surgical procedure----another broncoscopy and then another surgery after that to remove a gland that they say is larger than it should be. We are prayerful and hopeful that the broncoscopy will not turn up any more problems. They are going to scrub down his lungs again to make sure nothing has been missed. Life continues to be "interesting" and we continue to ask for your prayers and positive thoughts. Love you all!

My Too Short Trip to Utah/Idaho

These pictures are not in chronological order so I will type captions then tell about my trip at the end. This is a picture of our dear friends from Mesa, John and Jeanette Mohlman who are serving a mission on temple square. It was such a thrill to see them after 5 years. As we shared memories and a short visit together it was as if 5 years had not come and gone since I was able to enjoy their loving and kind spirits.

Ariann's adorable living room in their Idaho home. Her "stuff" works beautifully in the house.

Not a good picture of the kitchen but it is very nice.

Another view of the living room. Travis won the big screen tv in a raffle at work right after they got to Idaho.

Just before grandma and grandpa Sumner and I headed back to Utah we had the kids show us one of their favorite swimming holes. It looked like a blast. Even has a rope swing over the water!

Here's the Latest

Just a couple of shots from our ward Pioneer Day celebration. It was very laid back this year. We invited families to bring a picnic dinner and the ward supplied the drinks. While they ate I shared a few pioneer stories then everyone went outside to play softball with the old rag ball's I made. This year I let them use a real bat instead of a tree branch. They appreciated that. All seemed to have a lot of fun. The adults were very good to include children who wanted to play and all 4 missionaries really got into it as well. After the game we went inside to have popcorn and to watch "Legacy". We had planned to watch the new movie, "Emma" but Bishop pointed out that it said on the cover for home use only and he wasn't comfortable with our showing it at the church so the only other option was that oldie but goodie "Legacy".

Last week we spent 4 days at the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville Florida trying to find out what's wrong with Gary. He now has 4 doctors working on his mysterious case. They did another CT scan, blood tests/ urine tests and pulmonology tests. We should have some results some time this week. I'm getting ready to leave for Salt Lake in the morning. I want to postpone my trip until Gary is doing better but because he has had 5 pretty good days in a row, he's insisting I go as planned. I am anxious to hold that new baby and to see all of the kids and family but it will be difficult worrying about Gary from so far away. I am supposed to fly home on the 21st but I will just take it one day at a time. Bryce has agreed to spend the nights here and a number of neighbors are on stand by during the day if Gary has any trouble. This will truly be a test of my faith. Gary booked this flight for me before he started having his serious attacks that cause him to pass out. I will have to nag him via cell phone to take his medicine and to use his c-pap machine at night. I think he is looking forward to having me gone but little does he know I can nag from afar! I'll take pictures in Salt Lake.

Looking for a House to Buy?

Ours is one of a zillion for sale now in Central Florida! Forget the others....ours is just what you're looking for! Do you think that sounded convincing? Our faith will be tested on this venture. When we bought the house 5 years ago, the prices were heading up. We never dreamed it was possible that we could lose money on a home investment, I guess because we never have. Just the opposite. In the 8 homes we have owned during our 33 years of marriage, we have always made money. I guess it's true---there's a first time for everything. It would have been nice to break even but at this point we are hoping the loss won't be devastating.

Aubrey here's the picture of the bedroom upstairs I was telling you about. Maybe if you blow this one up you can see the cut-work detail in the curtain. I love this curtain. Probably my favorite in the house. The picture below shows the old window with plates hanging on it that our Realtor thought maybe we should take down because it's too "country". I told her to think of it as cottage because it is hanging from an antique coat hanger and I have no paint left to touch up the holes it will leave. Besides, I LOVE my old window so a potential buyer will just have to get over it!

Tell your friends to move to Florida and buy my house but no one I love is allowed to move here! We are going to get home to the west "come hell or high-water". Five years is long enough to be homesick!

We're No Longer the Scourge of the Neighborhood

But beauty comes with a price. Thankfully we have a friend who has a POWERFUL pressure washer so we could go from the black moldy surfaces to regular colored cement.

First step is pouring clorox on and brushing it in. Just one of the many things I love about Florida!

I turned these plain wooden balls from JoAnn's into some contraption to hang my valance from in the master bedroom.

All they needed was a little paint, bling from an old bracelet, a hole drilled in the back and molly-bolts for the wall.

Wal La! Curtains! We had a garage sale this morning to get rid of stuff I don't need to stage the house and thankfully it didn't rain like it has almost every day for the past.....FOREVER! Most of the junk sold and everything that didn't got hauled off to the thrift store. The Realtor is coming Tuesday to get this house on the market and then we pray and exercise faith that it will sell quickly and that our patience will hold out while we wait to see what "quickly" is in the Lord's time table! Gary had a rough week. He is going to an allergist on Tuesday and we are hoping she will have some answers and HELP! He is too young to be feeling so terrible. We are also looking into some natural remedies because all the drugs are not working. Accupuncture is on our list. Keep praying for us. We are doing everything we know to do and then it's in the Lord's hands so your prayers are very appreciated. Love you all!

The Only Constant in Life is Change

Moments before they hoped into their van and rode off for Idaho.

If the smile on my face appears pasted on it's only because it was!

Breakfast on our last sleepover morning with the kids.

Last swim in our sweet neighbor's pool. She has welcomed us "whenever". She always says, "Diane, my pool is your pool."

I am going to blog about this life changing event and then try to never think of it again. Our prayers were answered when Travis got his job transfer to Idaho. It was a difficult thing to pray for in spite of the fact that we believe getting our precious grandchildren into a better area and in a state that values education was of the utmost importance. It meant losing the sunshine in our lives. It has been bad enough not living where we can enjoy Aubrey's family but now to lose our Kaity and Brayden seems unbearable. I can't count the times one of us has to turned to the other and said, "I'm bored. Let's call the kids and see what they're doing." Bryce is also sad that they are gone but he does keep busy with single's ward responsibilities and activities. I'm grateful for that. Ariann has been such a big help to me in planning and carrying out the ward activities. I don't know what I will do without her. I don't know how I will get my house ready to sell without my interior decorator here to help me. Travis is my tech guy whenever I have a computer question or problem. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have a single "tune" on my IPOD. Gary's breathing situation is not improving much. He has pretty bad asthma attacks quite regularly. I don't know if it's safe for him to fly all the way across the country and as much as I am dying to hold my new grandson, I am too afraid to leave him home alone. Besides, I think I would have to hog tie him and run for the airport because he wants to head west as much as I do. Life holds challenges but joys as well and I have faith that one day we will feel joyful again. I hope I can develop patience as I wait for that day and for God to reveal his plan for us. They had only been gone from our house about 15 minutes on moving morning when Ariann called to say, "Kaity just remembered your wheelbarrow is still in our backyard. You'd better go get it before someone else does. Take anything else you want." We jumped in the truck and remembered to take a shovel to dig up some of her flowering plants that attract butterflies. I told Gary as we walked around the empty, dead feeling place that it reminded me of a cemetary and I felt like a grave robber as we dug up some of the plants that Ariann had taken such great care of. I couldn't wait to get out of there. I don't think I will ever go back. The last thing I said to Kaity as I hugged her and checked her seat-belt was, "It's your job to pray us to the west." I may have to remind her often of her assignment from grandma but it will be worth it. How could Heavenly Father refuse a sincere request from that sweet little girl of mine?! Life goes on, I just have to find a "new normal" while I wait for the time when I feel like I'm living again and not just existing. It will come. I know it will!
This was a very scattered post and a bit of a downer. I apologize and promise to do better next time. Really, I will.......it just may be a while!