Happy Batman Day!!

We love you!
Xoxoxo

Some Stuff

Hi. Our weekend was nice. We went by the library and then went to the store and also I got to look at the Red Cross drug store uptown. It has a lot of little trinkets and gifts. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun. Just to get out and see the colors on the trees and experience the fall weather was wonderful. I think we're going to get a motel room for two nights in Salt Lake or else we're going to stay at Susan's we're not sure but I think we're going to go with the motel room. Its part of our wedding gift to Justin and Tara to be honored with our presence, lol. 
Mark made some caramel popcorn for the marketer to put in bags to give  to people. And then he made strawberry ice cream. For the residents, with nitrogen gas they bought from a pharmacy here and it was really really nice and everybody just loved it. So he's already making a reputation for himself.. That's mostly any news that I have. I'll post some pictures. I really miss all of you. And now I'm going to cry.

A line of pretty trees near us

The most exciting thing going on in La Grande on Saturday was watching an ambulance sit outside a grill, which Mark and I actually spent time doing, lol

Dusk outside our window

An employee made this giant cupcake for Mark on boss's day

And Mark had me take this series of pics, which he set up to look like the kid in Mathilda

Did I tell you we gave talks at church?  They went well...of course, Mark's talk was awesome!

This is one of the windows there, which was taken from the old tabernacle that used to be here

Isn't it beautiful?

Thanks for reading!  Take care! 

XO XO XO

Great Fall Weather

Going to be as folk blog this time so it's coming to have mistakes just like it does above rice a spoken in it says vote vault. Haha. Anyway just want to let you know what's been going on we been excited planning about going down for Dustin's wedding with Tara. We're going to be staying at Susans for one night in our big splurge is to rent a car after we get to Boise for the rest of the trip down because our cars just kind of old to make that one the trip.
I was just talking about how beautiful it is outside lightly. The colors are out on the trees and its about 60 degrees during the day in sunny and leaf in with smoke hangs in the air and it smells so good. It's beautiful!
Other than that we haven't done much lately we went to church yesterday and Saturday we went to the library for about 2 minutes and then it closed so we went up to buy Mart which is a store here like Walmart only it's not as big and its discounted so maybe it's like Big Lots. Anyway we went there and then we drove down the road a little beyond where we normally drive just looking around the fall scenery. After church yesterday in the afternoon we went downstairs what we waited for our home teacher to come and we just did cross words and read, and it was so pleasant.  Lots of people told us how cute Lito was. It's amazing how often they use the cute I'm just too early to tell or handsome above where it says I'm just too early to tell that was the word adjective haha. I don't know how it got I'm just too early to tell out of an adjective. So we hope you all are well and look forward to seeing some of you. Will be thinking about the rest of you that won't be there at the wedding.
So take care and we love you! XO XO XO

Phillip's Birthday, plus Ketchup

Hello!  Well, Phillip turned 23 on the 10th.  Happy Birthday, Phillip!  I remember when you were born they had to do an emergency c-section because your heart rate was dropping with the contractions - good thing we went in fairly early on!  Then I slept and slept, after anesthesia, and I would wake up slightly and ask if you were all right and then go back to sleep instantly, only to repeat the whole thing a little bit later.  Sandy and Tamathy had come up there, and they thought it was hilarious.
The older kids came up to see you; they were still little themselves, and they didn't know what to make of you, you were so filled out and with so much dark hair, a new little stranger in their lives.  You were very deliberate and calm, and so well-behaved, which we needed, 'cause I went back to school full-time, 2 weeks later, and you were with Grandpa part of the time while I went to work 32 hrs. per week, also.  I prayed and prayed that you wouldn't be harmed by getting so little attention, and Heavenly Father answered that prayer for sure, because you are so smart!
Later, you were giggly and rambunctious, always making huge plans for parties and decorating your room, etc., without questioning whether we could pull them off.  You also loved to draw (until you took art classes :/  ).  Later, you read all our history books without telling me and I wondered how you knew so much.  Haha.
You were always good at finding a mentor in your big brother, Ben.  I think it was all the flying in the airplane you thought he did, over the 2 yrs. of his mission, when you were a toddler.  That was hilarious!
You kept your interest in theater and dancing and singing and history and math and science, and you did well in school, except you didn't do your homework much, I think!  You were also very accident-prone, with 2 MRIs in as many months (the ER dr. called child protection on me after that - no worries, though.  They were delighted with our family, it turned out. :)
When you decided to grow up and clean your room we were all relieved, because we could've been turned into the health authorities, it was so bad in there (your little brother's was just as bad).  And when you went in the Army when you turned 17, you said it was to help you have more discipline and to pay for school, etc.  But Basic training was awful!  They only gave you minutes to eat and no sleep and so much work and exercise, and you were sick with strep and were worried you wouldn't pass your final tests, but you did.  We sure did do a lot of praying during that time!
You served 2 terms, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and you were hit with IEDs 3 times, totally destroying your vehicles and making your buddies superstitious about riding with you and the other 2 with such high numbers of hits.  You lost some buddies and made some great friends (who called you "Jesus Cripe," which I thought was very complimentary.  You were always the designated driver for the bunch, being the 'Mormon' and all, lol.
Now you're out like a year and a half, rooming with your good friends you grew up with and working and taking care of spoiled Tut.
We sure love you, Phillip, and are so happy you are a part of our family!

(I'll eventually get Seth, Ben, and Justin's written on their birthdays, lol)

As for other news, we are moved in, although we still have things to get out of storage.  The aides bring my pills and do tests, but no care plan or housekeeping, other than trashes.  That will be the end of this month some time.  The nurse needs time to work out the care plan and they've been arranging the schedules lately, so it had to wait.  I don't mind - it's nothing drastic, because Mark helps out more then.  I'm rambling, I know.  I had things to write about, just little things.  I see the dr. on Oct. 31st - it's a she.  And we'll be rushing down for Justin and Tara's wedding on Nov. 2nd - woo hoo!
I got my nails done here - it was cheap!  I'll post a picture.  And we're speaking tomorrow.  Sheesh!
That's scary!  And I'm drinking a Slim Fast at night and not eating after 7 p.m.  That works well.
And I haven't gone out for forever, and we need to take Leto on walks as soon as we can.  Mark's back is better, so we can get the rest of our stuff moved in soon, I'm hoping.  And that's all I can remember, except it's great to have the Internet, and I'll check your posts again soon.  Also, little Caitlyn (sp.?) is being blessed tomorrow - we wish we could be there!  We'll be thinking about her and you all tomorrow, after we're done with our talks, especially, haha. 

 We love all of you!  Waves to Bonnie, and hope you're feeling better soon!
   xoxoxo

This is how I like my cinnamon toast :)

Some pictures of our apartment

 

The couch is only part-way across the living room in the first picture, so the room is much larger;

I just took these quick pics with my phone to get you an idea of things.

I'll show more as time goes on.

I want to unpack and decorate first,  once our decorations are unpacked, such as they are...

Mark and I went to see "Gravity" last night, and we would've given it about an 85 percent rating.  Mostly because Sandra Bullock's loud and panicked panting and grunts were annoying

Even in the trailer, they were just too much lol

It was clean, and it did have a good theme that was kind of squeezed in/on towards the end

But it wasn't any 98 percent that reviewers gave it, averaged for positives

Anyway, that's our take on it

It was still fun to go on a date,

Plus, I got my hair trimmed by one of the hair dressers

in the bldg.

She did a good job and cut a little over an inch off

Looks way better!

I finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

That was such a good book!

An overlooked (by me) gem.

Thx to Melinda for the recommendation

Mark's back is doing a little better

because he puts a large softball behind him

when he sits down

I'm so grateful that he's getting better!

And that brings you up to date on us!

Thank you for your comments. 

Oh, and thank you to Bonnie and Dennis

for sending us the book, Visions of Glory

which tells one man's experiences of the other side.

Can't see the author's name rt. now, or remember it,

But it's told anonymously, through another person

I'll explain more later, but it's fascinating to read

about how involved our loved ones on the other side

are in our lives, and I believe that.

I've always felt like we have an unseen cheering section!

We miss and love you.

I was wishing today that I could give the whole extended family

a big hug!

Consider yourself squeezed!

xoxoxo

 

Moving One Floor Down and A Whole Lot Over

Keyboards are amazing!  We got the Internet, which is amazing, too. I can't type all that well, without some practice, but it's great to have these full-size keys and to be connected!  We have so much at our fingertips and can run our lives more efficiently.  An example would be knowing what's on tv, rather than sitting there flipping channels.  Then we have it off until we want to watch a show.  So much better!
That's just a teeny example.  Asap I'll be reading your posts and commenting.  First, I need to work on and finish Dallin and Haley's landscape sketch and info.

We are in our new apt., and I love it!  And I love being in Asst. Living!  They haven't gotten in full swing yet, but I feel so warm and happy here.  The aides are waaaay different here!  They're like the rest of the people in La Grande: just relaxed and friendly and doing whatever they do without stressing.  Just like the town, like it has its own corner on sunshine and life the way it could be someday, everywhere.
The way this apt. is arranged, without a hall, makes it more wide open and spacious-feeling.  The windows face the east, rather than the north.  And they have vertical blinds without curtains, which makes it brighter.  I'll post pictures from my phone in a separate post.]
Also, the funniest thing happened the first time the aides came to pick up trash: one asked if the kitchen garbage was trash and I said yes.  Later, Mark came in and asked if I had cleared all the things up and, joking, I told him I did.  He was all impressed till I told him the aides actually came and got the trash.  You should have seen his face!  He said, "You're kidding!  They came and dumped this trash?"  I nodded and he said, "That was full of things I brought down from our apt.!!!"  Then he dashed out the door.
Fortunately, no further trash had been dumped out with it!  Haha.  That felt just like a Lucy adventure!
Isn't that funny?

Leto is fine and is much admired by the aides.   They asked me if they could take him outside and I said yes, not knowing he hadn't gone outside at noon (unusual for Mark to skip doing that), so Leto  was really desperate to "go."  Well, Mark ran in with him a short time later, saying not to do that again.  Turned out, they didn't go directly outside, and Leto had dribbled all down one of the halls  Ahhh!
But we got lucky again - they are having that carpet cleaned professionally tonight!
Mark made sure and let them know that it was his fault.  What another Lucy-type mini-fiasco!

So, that's how we are.  Mark's back is bothering him some.  And we are eating sandwiches for our meal tonight, and had ice cream cones for lunch (we made our own).  We skip the other meals, usually, and are eating lighter.  And they weighed me and I weighed 20 lbs. less than I was guessing I weigh.  (143.8 lbs.)  Not much muscle, which is heavier, I must admit.  Still, that made me happy.
And I am loving having a phone, even tho I don't use it much.  And we are speaking in Sacrament Mtg. the week after Conference.  I love that and hope I can make it.  Also, I'm in the choir, which is excellent and only meets for 20 mins. and has refreshments, so good all-around, right?

Take care, continue loving each other, and write to Seth.  We looove you!
xoxoxo