Spring?

For some strange reason, I thought Spring was here but the snow seems to prove me wrong.



The last two weeks have been very full. The Wednesday before Easter I went up to Chewelah and picked up my Grandson, Marquis for his Spring Break.


We had a wonderful time together. Here he is holding the grabber he got at the Discovery Science Center. He sure loved that place. I can hardly wait until I can take him again.






The Saturday before Easter we went to Union Town for the Easter Egg hunt. He has never been on a Community Sponsered Hunt before. We meet my brother Bill, his wife, Deb and of course Morgan. It was a grand time. Both boys had a blast picking up the eggs. Then afterwards, being allowed to pick out a gift from the gift table.



















Lots and lots of eggs to find.


Found lots. What fun!

Morgie had a great time and enjoyed finding all the goodies inside.















Easter Sunday we went to church then to Bill and Deb's. I was surprised when all the family showed up. I didn't know so many were coming. What a grand time.










Jamie and her husband, Chris came. The due date is April 9. I can't help but worry about her. She turned 18 March 28.
But then, my own Mama was 17 and turned 18 a month after I was born.













My Father was there. We played poker after dinner and Dad and Chris won.



I lost in 4 hands. Tell you how well I can play?









Kirk, Laura and their children, Wyatt and Meghan also came. That made for children ages 7, 5, 4, and 3. Poor little Meghan got left out once Wyatt and Marquis got together.



Took Marquis with me when I went to Shawna's 12 months of cards class. I love taking her classes cause she always chooses color combinations I wouldn't think of or use on my own.



Too soon, our time was over and I had to take Marquis home. Thursday was the day we were going to leave but due to a sudden Winter Snow Warning we had to wait until later in the day. As it was, we saw 4 slide offs and one wreck. It was stange getting to his house and no snow. But the weather made up for it Friday into Saturday when 7 inches came down. Marquis and Daniel had a great time. Daniel's Tractor was burried and He couldn't get it out. Marquis came to the resuce.

Marquis in the snow.


























Here is my little Daniel. He loves the snow.















He especially loves to eat it. Don't all kids?



I love this view outside their living room window.

























Kymberly is on the run. She can't quite walk yet but she is getting it down. She likes the fact that she can use her hands when she walks.

Makes me think of the song "Turn Around" and she's a toddler going on her own.

Kymberly loves playing the piano with her Daddy.

She seems to say, "Hmm, that reads A sharp and F flat. This is a pretty good song Daddy. I like playing Duets with you."

Poor little baby girl decided to teeth and ran a fever of 101-102.8 for two days. Little Angie was pretty well tuckered and the two of them took naps.

Daddy offered comfort also.

By the day I left, which was Sunday, she was herself again.

I just love this picture. It wasn't posed. I just happened to catch it. She is sitting on her Grandma Lundquist's lap. Isn't she just beautiful.

Their new family portrait is wonderful.

So is the children's picture.

There now that is what I been up to. Just enjoying my little ones. Won't seem them again until June most likely. I wasn't going to leave until Monday but I like being sick. It doesn't take being around illness, Angie was sick, for me to catch whatever is floating in the air. So, for now, I am going to hide in my house and get well. I Hate Being Sick! At least, it will get over soon.

Hope everyone had a great Easter and enjoys the Spring when it finally arrives.

My Son

Sometimes technology doesn't work, at least for me and that is what happened this last week. No matter what I did I could not get this Blog thing to work. Hopefully, it will work now.

My son, Kevin, is now on his way to Afganistan. The last month he spent at Fort Lewis playing Army. He said he needed to learn how they operated as the Airforce is deployed with them. Now, both he and his wife, Tanna, are in danger zones. She is in Iraq.

Here he is studying hard the Army manuvers.

How he can sleep on that ground like that is beyond me. The 11th is his Birthday. I look at this sleeping man and picture the sleeping child.

I guess he has always managed to sleep on hard surfaces. This is is First Birthday. This year is his 31. I can't beleive it.

Shelby is glad that the snow is gone. Poor little thing. It was a hard winter for her. She was very disgusted when it snowed earlier this week. She looked at me as if to ask, "What's this? Why is it back? Get rid of it!" Now, it is gone and she can run and peek in at her favorite holes along the fence, bark at the next door neighbor man, whom she hates fiercely, and bark at the new dog next door. O h, at least I forget, any an all CATS. Little does she know what they would do if she ever caught one.

I have been very busy this week scrapbooking. What an odd thing to be doing, huh? Shawna hooked me on these new books by Stacy Julian . I have two of them: The Big Picture and Photo Freedom. If you have never read either, may I suggest you do so at once. The first one helped me look at my scrapbooking in a whole new light. I had never before thought why I was choosing explicitly a certain photo or layout. Now, I am appreciating the whys. The book is much more detailed than this.

The second book lead me to this week's scrapbooking. The book provides a technique for photo management. It even uses triage. You are provided the freedom to do the unthinkable, throw a photo away. The ability to find a certain photo or group of photos is wonderful. I am still in the process of reorganization.

This, too, is scrapbooking. It looks like a mess but the end results will be well worth the work.

I can already see the benifits as I put each photo album away and know where my pictures are for sure. One reason this is very good for me is that when my husband, Marvin, died March 11, 2000, I went into a place I still don't recognize. I tore every photo I owned out of its album and put them into boxes and threw the albums away. Over the last 7 years I started putting them back in albums but at random. Whatever picture was at my fingertips went in next. Now, I can reorganize not only my pictures but my life and mind. But, whether or not you are in a similar position as me the book is wonderful and will, indeed, help you use your photos more meaningfully.

Happy Scrapbooking to you all.

Children, Laughter and Fun

What a great week I have had! My house was full of children, laughter and fun.

Friday last, my Son, Matthew, and his family arrived. "Grandma Christy!" was shouted and my arms full of two little boys each hugging and kissing. Now, I ask you, what could be better. My Granddaughter, however, wasn't quite sure what to think of me. She did let me hold her a little but not much. Actually, she is very active and quick I might add.

I thought I had picked up everything she could put in her mouth, however, I forgot about Shelby treats.

Here she is chewing on one of Shelby's rawhide snacks. Surprisingly, her parents did not care and it was a beef flavored snack.

We celebrated her first birthday, sort of. I gave her her gifts. No cake or anything as I just can't seem to bake a vegan cake that isn't like cardboard and tastes decent. So she just got her presents. Angie put it together and another little ball toy I go her.

It is a walker that turns into a ride.

Marquis made sure it was working just right for his little sister.

Here are my boys enjoying their lunch.

Marquis got glasses and lost another tooth. Marquis is 7.

Daniel is such a sweet little boy. Daniel is 3.

On Saturday, we went to my Nephew's home for my Niece's baby shower. Jamie is 17 and she and her husband, Chris 18, are expecting their first baby. I pray all goes well for them.

They are going to have a baby girl. Her name will be Madison Elaine Bjorklund.

The whole family came both sides and steps.

My father, Jamie's Grandpa, even came. We took him out later for his 79th birthday. We went to Zanys in Lewiston. If you have never been there, try it out. Good food for everyone even Vegans.

Both of Jamie's mothers were there. Her step mother and Mother. Both are Deborah Lynn.

This is Deb, her step-mother with Angie feeding Kymberly.

This is Jamie's Mother, Deb, hugging her Granddaughter, Meghan.

Meghan loved Kymberly and wanted to hold her every chance she got. Meghan is 4.

This is Wyatt. He is Meghan's brother. Wyatt is 5.

Wyatt and Marquis have tons of fun together. This summer I am going to take the two of them to the Zoo.

Wyatt's and Meghan's father is my Nephew, Kirk. His mama is Laura. They are wonderful people. They always make sure I do not spend any Holiday alone.

My Brother, Bill, is Kirk's, Jamie's, Brian's, and Morgan's father. He truly loves his children and Grandchildren and is looking forward to his Granddaughter.

This is Billy and Morgan. Morgan is Billy's and Debbie's surprise. Morgan is 3.

Let me introduce you to Brian and Molly. They too are expecting a baby but want to wait until it is born to find out if it is a boy or girl. Brian spent several years in the Airforce. Molly is a Nurse.

This is Matthew and Jamie. Until Morgan was born, they were my parents oldest and youngest grandchild respectively.

This is how the first part of my week was spent. Matthew and his family left on Sunday. I hated seeing them go but I had something to look forward to. Morgan's babysitter was unavailable Thursday and Friday and he was going to spend it with his Aunt "Kissie".

When Morgan arrived, he wanted to be Spiderman. We went to the store and bought the movie, two shirts, a Spiderman Hat, a Spiderman sticker book, and two Spiderman mouse pads which served as great pictures. I can't tell you how many times I watched Spiderman over those two days. Bet I can just about recite it by heart. Morgan acted out certain scenes and loved beating up Greengoblin. There were parts of the movie he wanted to see again and again.

Morgan had me put Spiderman stickers all over his arms and shirt. He played Spiderman and had a balloon which acted as his web. He even got Shawna involved. She obliged him by being the Greengoblin when no one was in the store but us. He sure liked her. an't figure out why:)

Here are some Morgan Spiderman pics.

With trust web in hand, Morgan prepares to jump.



Attacking Green Goblin.

More Spiderman Jumps.

He forgot his web. Ah, well he is a great jumper even without it.

Morgan love Motorcycles and in less time than you can say Jack Rabbit he found Motorcycle stickers at Paper Pals. Shawna, bless her heart, made sure he got some. He promptly decorated my refrigerator. Now, everytime I open the door my heart remembers the happy time we have together and those two days. He tells me frequently, "I love you Aunt Kissie. I love you." He didn't want to leave Shawna nor did he want to go home with Mama, that is, until she got here. Then it was "bye Tee Tee. I love you. See you soon. You come to my house."

What a wonderful week filled with family and love. We all should be so lucky. I have a large family and we are all very close. I love spending time with them any chance I get.