Venison Vacation

You heard me. It wasn't a "Venice" vacation - it was a "venison" vacation. While the great white hunters were pursuing the venison, it was vacation time for me and for Cathi. You think I'm kidding? Look at this:




Chefs extraordinaire!!












They even clean up!






OK - maybe they didn't do this every day, but we take it any day we can get it!


Here they are on their first morning getting ready to go track the great buck. Cinnamon rolls are the breakfast of champions, aren't they?






Here's what Cathi and I did when they left to go hunt the big bad buck.







While we were on our "vacation," we celebrated Dave's birthday. We're quite the camper decoraters, aren't we!







I think we surprised him.








He even got a peanut butter cookie cake!



Here's a side story. When we were coming back from Utah in July, Dave was deathly ill. Seriously tossing his cookies (no pun intended) every 15 to 30 minutes. It was my only goal to get back to Chandler quickly to get him to the hospital. He was, however, able to muster up the strength to push the button on one of his obsessions - the miles per gallon indicator. Weakly he said, "we're not getting very good gas mileage." Like I cared!! Well, on the way up north last week, we hit 98.8 miles per gallon - a personal best for us! Of course that was coming down off the mountain and coasting, but we did it! Here's the proof.



Anway, when the guys weren't hunting (hunting time was morning and evening), they liked to have a little down time. Believe it or not, that included plotting out their course on maps downloaded on the computer! Usually, they read and/or napped in the middle of the afternoon and then in the later evening we played games! Five Crowns was the game most often played, but a little Farkle was thrown in for good measure. Cathi and I endulged in Bananagrams and Quiddler.







One day we went for a ride. When we stopped, this was the view looking down from our vantage point.

This was the view looking back up from our stopping point.

It would be wonderful to tell you we were enjoying nature and each other's company. Sadly, we were trying to get cell signals to touch base with reality for a minute or two.

Well, at least one of us communed with nature. Terry was trying to find pinons. Apparently not a good crop this year.

Finally the day came when all the efforts culminated in

a score. Dave and Terry were successful on the same morning, within 30 minutes of each other and within a half-mile of each other. Woo-hoo!!

Our time in the Kaibab came to a close and we had to leave our beautiful backyard.

Oh, and here's the fruit of my successful hunt - I got a "shot" of several does on one of our rides.

Thus ends the "venison" vacation for 2010!!

Good Times!!

Here we go with some happenings of the past few weeks. I've been a little better about having my camera handy, so you get pictures, too!

Caitlin performed with her class in the school concert. I'm going to brag here...it's my blog, my right...but, isn't she pretty! Can you believe she's a 6th grader already??

Seems like yesterday she was THIS adorable little girl.

Cathi had a stamping party at her house. The demonstrator, a friend of Cathi's, was in rare form. Poor Karen somehow got to be the one selected as her "remedial student." Glad Karen has a sense of humor! It was a fun time being creative. Well, being able to copy someone else's creativity - that's kinda how I do it - steal the ideas and put the pieces together!

Kevin and Bremen were launching rockets one afternoon. They had a lot of fun and were joined by Joshua. He and Bremen became good friends over the past two weeks.

I had to include the pics of Josh - look at his face! He was so excited and/or scared - can't decide which! In the end, I guess excited because he kept wanting to do more!

It's good that we have nice neighbors. Especially when your rocket lands on their second story balcony in their backyard.

The rocket launches are very popular. Had to do some more when everyone was here!

We had a "non-birthday" party for Kevin. He is departing on his thirty-ninth birthday (shhh...don't tell...) so we had to let him feel the love! He had brother-in-law Shane sit him with since Shane's dad has a birthday the same day as Kevin. (Happy birthday, Dan!)

If there are candles around, Jack will be there to help blow them out!

And to end the recap of recent good times, we have to mention the icing on the cake. We are the proud grandparents of a new grandson - Cameron Ray Lambson. He is the sweetest new addition to our family. Check out Patrick and Heather's family blog for pictures of our handsome little guy!! We can't wait to meet him in person. (Seriously...Dave and I are doing something we have never done just for Cameron - we are getting flu shots. We can't wait until flu season is over!!)