Where Is It?

Then came the search for the "perfect tree".  First Larry went on the snowmobile, discovering the candidates available.  Then Melanie and I went with him to view the candidates.  He showed us several; tall ones, mediums sized ones, three sides great, two sides great, and then the final one...the "perfect tree"!  Right on our very own property.  He wasn't sure he wanted to cut it down, but it really was perfect, so he did.  As you can see from the video, we had fun finding, cutting, delivering, and setting it up!  

Advance team adventures

What is it?

When Mel, Dad and I arrived in Donnelly the week before Christmas, we had an unwelcomed guest living in the cabin.  As you can imagine, it almost caused a melt down...for all involved!

When we entered the cabin, we found garbage tipped over, flowers eaten off of a flower arrangement left on the table, the rubber chewed up in the sink from the garbage disposal, lots of "tracks", and a general mess.   From the evidence there we decided it definately was larger than a mouse, but we didn't know what exactly we were dealing with.  I called the pest control place and they told me they didn't deal with anything large than a mouse.  I knew it was larger than that. They gave me the phone number to a man who takes care of animals who intrude but he lives in Boise and told me it would be several hundred dollars for him to come up in the raging snow storm then in full swing.  So, we decided we were on our own.  Dad went outside to blow snow, so Mel and I started exploring; trying to find out where the "beast" was. We found signs of him upstairs on the loft...parts of the carpet dug down flat.  We found signs of him all over the kitchen, and in the appliance closet where I had some chocolate popcorn in pop-top tupperware.  He had spilled it all over.  We then ventured up the stairs to the kids toy room and as soon as we entered, we both heard a rustling sound...we knew we had found him.  We quickly shut the door and ran down the stairs.  Fortunatly Nate, one of the carpenters working on the siding on the pool house, happend along and we convinced him to go on a "snipe hunt" for the unfortunate intruder.  Mel, Nate, and Dad ventured up the stairs and shut the door.  All I could hear was thumping and bumping.  I was nervous!  After some time, they came down the stairs; Nate carrying a clear plastic box...inside was the biggest, furriest, ugliest thing I have ever seen!  What would you call this thing?  I call it CREEPY!!!  and it was living in my house!  How dare he!!!!

Can I just say that I am glad Mel was there with me!  We donned rubber gloves, mixed up bleach water, and went to work. We now have the cleanest toy room in the history of the world!  Mel is wondering how she became part of the "advance team."  It's somebody elses turn next time!

it's warm in Texas!

I am finally blogging my trip to Texas!  Sorry I have been so slow!  Part of the problem was being in Donnelly where uploading any kind of video or even pictures is painfully slow.  But now that I am in Seattle for a few days,  here I go!  

Being in Texas with Jeff, Brenna, Jackson and James was so fun for me!  Some of the highlights were being there for the ultra sound to find out they are having a girl, playing with Jackson and James and hearing Jackson sing, sing, sing!, going hiking on the windy rock hill, attending a football game in an amazing stadium!  We had great seats, as you will see from the pictures I took, If I lived in Austin, I would definitely want season tickets for all of the UT games!, going christmas shopping, making wonderful candy, (I wish Brenna would come and make it with me again), playing tee-ball and watching football Jeff and Jackson style, going to the park with the train, and being there for Jackson's birthday!  Now that was fun.  He had a little trouble getting the candles blown out, but he finally won.  It reminded me of the good ole days with Mel!

Jackson and James with their rendition of Head, Shoulders, Knees and toes.  It's great!

 

Texas....Fight!!!

Thank you Jeff and Brenna for letting me come be a part of your family!  It was so fun!  I am the luckiest grandma in the world!