New Joann's Fabric Store

Our new, big Joann's opened on March 11.  I went to lunch with Renee, Lisa and Shirley that day, and after we went over to check out the new store which opened that morning.  The whole parking lot was full of cars.  It was crazy and absolute proof that there's not much going on in Idaho Falls.  The Grand Opening for the store is a 3-day affair (Thurs-Sat), and the first 100 customers got a $10.00 gift card.  So I went down to the store about 15 minutes before it was due to open.  I couldn't believe the line of people.  Some women were so clever that they brought their husbands along so they could collect 2 gift cards.  I didn't think of that, and Kurt wouldn't have come with me.  The painters were arriving at 9 am, and he needed to be at the house.  It took 2 pictures to photograph the whole line, and many more came after I took the pictures and got back into line.  I'm happy that there are so many people in Idaho Falls that like to sew.  After all, there's not much else to do in Idaho Falls.

Stake Relief Society Conference

Dixean Grimes (far right in purple) wrote an amazing song that she performed at our Stake Relief Society Conference, along with Taneil Serr, Jana Lee Nelson, Hayley Richards and Bev Beck.  The picture that I had with Bev was blurry so she got left out of this post.  The Stake had classes for us to take in the morning, followed by a luncheon and program.  It was a nice event and seemed well attended.  I was happy that there were about a dozen from our YSA branch that went. I attended a class about hair and nails that was taught by Bridgett Empey, from our branch.  Next I went to a class by Bonnie Hoover about teaching FHE lessons from "For the Strength of Youth" booklet.  It was awesome.  Then I went to one on skin care and makeup by Tiffany Farmer, also from our branch.  It was a worthwhile activity, and then I went shopping, which may not be worthwhile, but was fun nonetheless.

New Valentine's Day Quilt

Haylee and I made little Valentine's Day Wall hangings.  I don't think she got hers finished yet.  Something about having two little girls makes it hard to find time to sew.  Anyway, we had fun working on them, and I think it is quite cute.

Bird troubles

 

This is a Sharp-Shinned Hawk.  We noticed him hanging around starting in December.  At first I thought a hawk might be a useful bird to have around since they eat rodents, and we get mice and voles in the field by us.  Then Ethan saw it swoop down one day and catch a sparrow in our yard.  Kurt also saw it go after a bird one day.  Now we rarely see any sparrows or finches.  I guess they don't feel safe.  No wonder. The hawk is perched directly above the bird feeders.  Kurt hasn't had to worry about keeping the feeders full anymore, and he used to refill them every other day.  I will be so sad if we don't get any gold finches this spring!

Mule Deer

There have been lots of deer all around our area the last few winters.  We have had one or two in the yard this winter, but the other day we had 8.  They were nibbling on dried flower leaves around the deck.  Then they all moved over to the south border of the yard and curled up for an afternoon rest under the trees.  I just watched them for quite awhile and took some pictures.  I love being out in the country.

Happy New Year

I regret not keeping up the blog after we returned from our mission.  I finally got the mission blog published into a book that we could look at and enjoy.  Since I am not a good journal keeper, I realize that more than a year's activities have elapsed with no record kept, other than my memory.  That means that basically there is no record kept!  

I guess the debate going on in my brain is not whether or not to continue with the blog, but do I go back and try and catch up last year's activities or just start with this past Christmas and more forward?  For today I will at least  do this post and change my background.  Maybe that's enough action in the day for me.  I don't want to go overboard and burn myself out!

Butchart Gardens

Mary, Sandy and I took off early in the morning and drove to Anacortes, Washington, to catch the ferry going to Victoria.  It was a fun ride over with a beautiful view of the San Juan Islands.  The ferry docks at Sidney.  We then drove down to Butchart Gardens that evening and toured the gardens for a few hours.  We got an inexpensive 2nd-day pass and spent more time there the next day.  We drove down to Victoria and spent the night in a fancy Marriott Hotel.  We walked about some the next morning.  I'm sure we could have spent a whole day just checking out Victoria, but that wasn't on our agenda.  We went back to Butchart Gardens to get our fill of flowers.  I wish I could go there 3 or 4 times a year so I could see every different type of flower they have there.  It is such an amazing place.

Kurt's Family

Randy, Heather, Kaitlin & Elysha Krupp

Lucy & Richard Stevens

Roger & MarJean Krupp

Allan & Susan Anderson

Mary & Angela Gilmore (David got left out because he was also taking pictures)

Eric & Angela

Jason & Story

Tim & Yvonne Krupp

Kurt & Linda Krupp

 Of course, Irma Krupp is the center and focal point of all these photos.  She is a great lady, and her children love and appreciate her.

Those cute Krupp brothers

Kurt, Susan, Roger, Mary, Tim and Lucy

Kurt, Sandy and I drove up through Oregon and met my Uncle Gary Fordyce, cousins Jen & Denny Mansell, Laura & Walt Kastner for dinner at The Spaghetti Factory in Beaver.  It was nice to get to see them all for a short time.  I sure wish I had taken a picture!  We then spent the night in Portland and drove the rest of the way the next day.  Mary was so good to organize a get-together with all the siblings, and I took lots of pictures this time.  We took Sandy to visit some neat gardens and had lunch there one day.  She and I went up to Seattle one day and went through the aquarium and shopped around Pike St. Market.

Sacramento Trip

Kurt and I left for a road trip after Alicia and her children left.  First we went to Dublin to see Adam and Eileen and their cute apartment.  We spent Friday night with them, and they cooked us a yummy dinner.  On Saturday morning they took us to a nice park that had hiking and bike trails that went around a small lake.  We walked and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm weather.  Afterwards we went out for lunch to an all-you-can-eat salad bar.  It was great, and I stuffed myself totally full.

Then we headed back to Sacramento for a few days.  We got to visit with my mom, brother Fred and sister-in-law Ingrid, along with cousins Johnnie and Leora Matranga.  Sandra came to join us, also.  She then traveled up through Oregon and Washington for a stay with Kurt's family and a trip up to Buchart Gardens in Victoria.  I only have one picture from Sacramento, and it isn't a very good one because it cuts people out. Sandra was left out.  But I'll post it anyway.  We all went to Buggy Whip for dinner, and that is where the picture was taken.

Cousin Camp, August 2009

Emmett was a little young for some of the activities, but he loved having Kayleigh and Amber play with him at the Ammon pool.

Amber, Tyson and Ethan.

We had perfect weather for hanging out on the deck for picnic lunches.

For Halloween, we went through the costume boxes and found something to dress up in.  We only went to a few neighbors and we gave out candy to them instead of receiving.  It was ridiculous, but kind of fun.

Tyson & Megan and the rest out trick-or-treating.

We had our own 4th of July celebration with fireworks & sparklers.

Grandpa Kurt gave us a scripture lesson.

We decorated gingerbread houses, or shacks, as Amber called them.  They were all cute and creative, but I only have a picture of Amber.

We had our cousin camp just a few days after returning from Nigeria.  It was fairly insane because I was not even recuperated from the jet lag.  Then there was the huge adjustment to being back in our big house surrounded by so many family members.  It was exciting, but exhausting.  Nonetheless, we had cousin camp.  Kurt came up with the good idea of celebrating the different holidays that we had missed with the kids while on our mission.  I'm lacking in photos of Dylan, Cassie and Brianna.  We also dyed Easter eggs and had an egg hunt after our swimming outing.  The kids had fun entertaining themselves while I sat around in a stupor trying to figure out what to do next.  All in all, it turned out fine even though I felt so out of it.  I never would have survived without the help of Heidi, Alicia and Haylee, not to mention Kurt and Owen.  Family fun is the best.