Memorable Gifts.

We so appreciate our children and all they do for us. We're not easy to buy for, and we know it. It's not that we try to be difficult, but what do 2 people who are alone and bursting at the seams with "stuff" really need? All of you seem to always manage to rise to the occasion and come up with thoughtful, heartfelt gifts that provide us with what we need the most--love and memories.

The calendar from Dustin, Paulette, Dylan, Hayden and Kolton is an everyday reminder of our handsome grandsons and how fast they are growing. Since we can't be there, it is the next best thing and we look forward to it each year. Your unique photography skills never cease to amaze us. Please keep them coming.

Jared came up with the idea of a family photo and video DVD. Emily was just sure we wouldn't care and would never watch it. You've got to be kidding, Em! I can't think of a time I've had to try harder to fight back the tears. The time that it must have taken to create such a thoughtful and precious gift is unimaginable. I can only hope it will become a tradition, and that we can look forward to more of them in the future. You have inspired me to dust off our old family VHS movies and see if there is any way to salvage them. Any help you could offer would be welcome and appreciated.

Erin knows we like to get out and away from our everyday lives and worries. Your family's gift of an overnight retreat was everything we could have hoped for. What a nice touch to send us to Alaska without making us sit on that plane. It was almost as if you were there, and oh how we wish that you could have been. We want to share with you the resulting photos of what you undoubtedly spent hours on a computer trying to put together just for us.

We took a very short walk when we first arrived--not because we were lazy but because it was about 2 degrees. This is the Ogden River that runs behind the Alaskan Inn.

We were allowed to check in a little early, so we watched a Christmas movie in our room, then headed up the canyon to the Graycliff Lodge for a wonderful and very romantic dinner.

We stayed in the "Kenei" cabin. The decor was moose everything.

There was a bottle of chilled sparkling cider next to the jacuzzi tub when we arrived.

Included with our stay was a 30 minute massage for each of us in our room. Wow!

A full breakfast of our choosing was brought to our room. I had a belgian waffle with strawberries and cream, hash browns, bacon, milk and raspberry hot chocolate. Dan had buttermilk pancakes, bacon and sausage, milk and hot chocolate. It was fantastic.

Thanks to all of you for caring and allowing us to be a part of your lives.

P.S. I haven't done this for a while, so keep on going. There are 5 more new posts!

Christmas 2009

We talked Emily and Jared into letting us keep Halle when they came for Mutti's birthday dinner. It's so fun having a little girl in the house. My French braiding skills were a little rusty, and Halle's lack of hair made it even more challenging.

I took Halle shopping to pick out gifts for her parents. She had to get this one out of the trunk so she could hold it all the way home, saying "My daddy is going to be sooo happy!"

Having somewhat recovered from a 103 degree fever the day before, Halle was ready to get up on that stage and perform for her pre-school Christmas concert. We felt very honored to be invited to attend.

Those teachers and directors are Saints for even making the attempt. They did a great job!

Mutti's gift to Halle was this "Break the Ice" game. It was a huge "hit".

This remote control race car was supposed to be Jared's fun gift from us, but Halle latched on and wouldn't let go. She even had to take it to bed with her on Christmas Eve.

"I wish Patch would go away. Oh how I wish Patch would go away" Sigh.

Halle worked hard to hit the baseball in the Wii game.

The end of a very long Christmas Eve. Some say Emily and I look alike.

Only Emily can explain this one.

Halle just didn't get the idea that this milk was supposed to be for Santa.

Uh oh. The new hamster helped Radar forget about Patch. Absolutely nothing else mattered.

Grandma Kline loves her new calendar--as do we all.

Dan and his new GPS. Now maybe he will be able to find his way home.

Mutti's gift to Emily--Oyster crackers. Inside joke.

Going shopping with the new cart. Can it get more real than that?

Face to face with evil. Which one is evil? Depends on who you're asking.

A budding new artist.

Survived Darn Near Everything!!!

Yep, my card to Mutti gave her the honorable award of having survived "darn (not quite the exact word used) near everything." At 86, she deserves it!

Anyone that knows Halle also knows that this picture represents a major breakthrough!

The Garner women were all having a nice time. Lily is almost 1 year old.

Thanksgiving with the Hurtado's

Yes, our little girl is growing up, and becoming a computer nerd like the rest of us.

What would a visit be without Cardinal Mexican Train?

Something to do while Mom and Grandma shop Black Friday.

Houston for Halloween

I was able to fly to Houston to spend the week of Halloween with Dustin's family. As usual I was given a wonderful welcome.
Paulette has learned the art of towel animals. I wonder where she got the idea??

This was supposed to be Hayden's birthday present, but Dylan liked it, too.

Kolton was very patient while we waited for the van to be fixed at the Honda garage.

I tried to give the dogs some exercise walking around the lake at least once a day, and every so often I could talk someone into coming with me. That is, only if the Blackberry could come, too.

Hayden looked forward to his soccer game, but perhaps the goodies given out when it was over were the biggest draw.

Here they are, in all their splendor. Dustin had a smurf costume too, but he couldn't be talked into getting painted up for the big night.

Sun Oven Cooking 101

I don't usually buy every emergency item offered that may be helpful in the future to keep us alive during difficult times, but I got this email about a sun oven and it piqued my curiosity. My first reaction was "yeah right, like that will work." After reading about it I just had to try it, and I was amazed that you really can bake with absolutely no "store bought" energy. I've cooked many meals, and the only real limitation I have found is that you really do have to have a fairly full sun to make this work. This isn't going to replace every other method of cooking or we shall surely starve during cloudy weather, but it sure is fun to cook with on the good days. I even tried it when the temperature was below 20 degrees, and it did not disappoint.

Cancun 2009

We spent the first week of September in Mexico at the Iberostar Paraiso Lindo resort. This was an event we had looked forward to for such a long time since this year our kids all agreed to join us there. We are always excited about our annual vacation to Mexico, but this one was even more special to be able to share it with the ones we love.


Thank you Doug for the picture I stole from you. Mine didn't turn out very good.

Halle started the trip making friends with the "kid next door" named Austin. Austin's Dad plopped him down in the window seat next to me, with Halle in the aisle seat, then bid a fond farewell as he giggled heading back to his own seat where he fell fast asleep never to be seen again. I promptly traded seats with Halle and the two of them became buddies all the way to Houston.

While the weather had predicted lots of thunderstorms, we never saw more than a few drops of rain during the entire week. We found our favorite spot on the beach, and it became somewhat of a meeting place.

Our new pet replacements of the week were the Kotimundis. They were ever hopeful of receiving handouts from those that emerged from the buffet by the beach.

Halle loved buiding sand castles, especially with her expert Dad.

Each night we all dressed for what we hoped would be a nice dinner. Some were, some weren't. We had a few laughs over many of them.

Halle loved the guy that made her balloon "things" like this sword.

And this swan.

Dustin and Paulette were looking forward to their first time parasailing!!

And so excited to get back to the beach!

Emily and Jared, however, found it to be a most romantic experience.

Dustin and Paulette cheated with a head start on their tans by getting the spray-on kind before the trip. They were the envy of us all, except for Jared and Halle who have year-round tans.

We were fat and happy at the Italian restaurant.

Emily's solution to the heat.

Halle was most excited when Erin was kind enough to loan her goggles.

Doug is modeling Erin's new hat that they bargained hard for. It cost them $7 and two hamburgers.

Dan, Doug, Jared and Halle looked forward to sand volleyball twice a day.

Emily wishing she could show off her new tan.

That's okay, Dan doesn't tan either.

Makes you wonder what's going through that mind.

What's a vacation without a nap on the beach?

Halle was obsessed with washing the sand off her feet "all by herself!" Of course the second she left the shower, she was covered with sand once again and had to start all over.

Erin, Jared, and Halle trying a little syncronized dance move in the water.

Doug and I had a little "photo war" going on.

Erin sometimes loses her head over things.

As we were about to leave, we spent one last morning--

--watching the sun come up.

It's hard to believe the week went by so quickly. We are so glad you could all join us and hope we can do it again sometime.