Bi-Annual????

OK...so just maybe a bi-annual post isn't QUITE good enough for keeping in touch! Now that KURT is the last holdout from the family blogging, I'll try and do better (maybe).

After being in Utah and seeing Eli it makes me wonder how I LIVE without a baby in my arms! I never get tired of holding those little ones. He was so good and so sweet and SMELLED SO GOOD...gads, I LOVE how a baby smells.

We're still fighting with snow. The driveway bank have receded below five feet, but are not nearly gone. Still plenty for Katherine and Matthew to ski on next week. It will be fun to see them again. It seems forever since we've seen each other.

Uncle Craig and Brenda left for San Diego last week. They'll be there until June I think.

Grandma Stewart may be heading to Florida for a couple of months with Aunt Eileen, too. I'll be she'll like soaking up the sun! Right now I think I'd like to join her! I must be getting old, because I'm starting to feel the cold.

I thought we were going to miss our traditional trek to General Conference this April, but -- cross your fingers -- we may still pull it off. Some staff changed their vacation schedules and some other staff wanted extra hours! Couldn't ask to a better combination to let ME off the hook!

Not much else. Never very much REAL news from Big Sky. Just the usual blah, blah, blah....

Love to you all. Have a great week.

Go figure!

We are using General Conference as a jumping off point for a vacation. Heading from Big Sky to Provo, then to the California Coast and a drive down. Sounds good, eh? We were going to drive the "baby car" and really tear up the coast in the sports car. Again, sounds good, eh? Well, no one mentioned that Big Sky was going to have a SNOW STORM just as we were getting ready to leave. Bad weather straight through to SLC for the whole weekend. I big front was coming through. So...now what? Time to punt. Papa quickly drove to Bozeman, got a trailer for the S2000 and hooked it up to the Suburban! Never try to thwart a California vacation!@ So we drove slowly and ended up in Provo 8 hours later. Hah! Tomorrow night we head out to the Nevada desert to head to Monterey where Papa went to Defense Language school so I can see that part of his life and then head to San Diego to meet Craig and Brenda for a bit of a sailing vacation. No photos yet, but they'll come! Have a great conference weekend.

Life in the fast lane...

So, we go to the hairdresser with Kate and she smiles through the whole procedure of getting her head shaved... Me? I try not to cry like a baby! Although it was hard to be sad when she thought the whole adventure was a lark and giggled through the whole thing. Today she's still checking out whether we all notice she's still bald. It's pretty funny, actually. Today she was all dressed up like a Princess, wand, high heels, big smile and bald head. I reached for my camera and, of course, DEAD BATTERY! I'm going to try to get her to put on a repeat performance tomorrow for the camera.

Jackson had a 50th anniversary at his school tonight. The theme (of course) required a 50s costume. Jason decked Jackson out and slicked his hair into a ducktail! You'll have to wait for Carolyn's blog to see the results...I won't steal the thunder.

Ava had a blast today locking me out of the house and then letting me back in. The little monster! She's a kick, that's for sure.

Tomorrow is "curry night" at the Hansen's. Carolyn is going to make it herself! Then the next time I come (or she comes to Big Sky!) SHE can do the honors... I did, however, grace Sunday dinner with Grandma Reichstetter's pot roast (eat your heart out, Steve!)

Other than that I've been a laundry-doing slug. I MUST finish the mystery novel that I started though. Once I get back to Big Sky I'll NEVER finish it!

On the go....

I headed to Altanta on Thursday, with a little trepedation (hoping my back would hold out for the trip). NO problems with the flight! Yeah. Although I flew out of Bozeman instead of heading to SLC for a "cheap" flight. It was a good day. Life in Atlanta is hazy, hot and humid. No I remember why I like Big Sky so much. Sun, Sun, Sun, even in the freezing cold winter it's sunny. I can't believe I'm already on day four here. Carolyn is working like crazy while I'm here...six staight days. She still manages "activities" though -- running, school events, birthday parties, funraising, etc. I get tires watching her! (So, I lay down and take a nap...hee, hee!)

I guess things are OK at the store in my absence. No news is good news. Since Kate can't go to church, I'll be staying home with her this morning. Score AGAIN!

Have a great day! Talk to you all soon.

SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY OVER

Summer in Big Sky is now officially over with the close of business on Labor Day. It was a good summer with lots to do and lots of business. Kiel Moser is now busy getting the on-line grocery store going. We are PSYCHED! I'll let you all know when you can "go shopping" and help us evaluate the system and ease of use.

Jen and Kyle can then "dream" that they're shopping.

Now I'm getting serious about plans for the fall...heading to Carolyn's in September, October trip to San Diego to sail with Craig then back to Provo for conference. Another trip to Atlanta in November for Jackson's baptism, and hopefully a few days in the sun in Florida during the same trip (that remains to be seen, though).

Have a great night! Love you all.....Mama

A Never-Empty House.

Having Kyle, Jen and Abby depart the same day with Kurt left us a bit vacant for, oh, 12 hours or so! Rich Congdon arrived on Thursday with Steve and then on Saturday, Robbie, Sarah, Gwen and Grace arrived, too. It's fun visiting with old friends in-between holiday weekend work schedules.

We're finally moving into proper offices for the store. 2 offices above the store -- one for Steve and one for me. YEAH! No more office in the bedroom, kitchen, laptops in the bathrooms and garages. Can't wait to use them. They're "nearly there". Kiel Moser finished the scanning system for the store and it's up and running well. Now he's working on the "on-line" grocery store which was to have been done LAST winter. Can't wait! That should be a good thing for this winter. Kiel really takes to a project well.

My back continues to improve (for those who don 't know). I have a spinal stress fracture and a hip going bad. Physical therapy appears to be working though. I actually worked a whole day yesterday. Getting old isn't for the weak!

Love to you all.

CJ GRADUATION

I saw CJ's pictures of the graduation cruise on Facebook, but do you know if he really graduated? I DO!