It was just going to be an ordinary walk....

Since I am out of school and Scott now works "Swing Shift", we have a goal to walk 4 days a week. We usually go around 2 miles, but Scott has decided one day a week, it will be more like a 4-5 mile walk, and 1/2 of it is uphill (which means the other 1/2 is downhill!). Little did I know that was his plan on Monday morning, when we set out to go for a walk. As we left our little court, and headed down the road, Scott let me in on his plan. I can't say I was thrilled because in my mind, I had a 2 mile walk! lol But, I was game and we started off up the hill! As we got to one point, it started to POUR! We knew we were both going to be soaked, so we thought, we'd better turn around. We started back down the hill and I saw an animal laying in the road. I looked at Scott and said, "Was that there when we passed before and I missed seeing it?" Scott assured me, that it wasn't. We also knew that no cars had passed us, so it couldn't be "road kill". As we passed, I thought the animal must be dead, but then it lifted its head a little. It was a tiny little fawn. Newly born, but too weak to go anywhere. It looked like it had slipped and fallen and possibly had a broken leg, as one leg was off in a strange direction from the rest of the body. We looked around to see if we could see it's mom, but we didn't. So Scott called the PD to see if dispatch could call "Fawn Rescue". (This is an organization that, obviously rescues fawns that are in need. Usually they need to be rescued because their parent has been hit by a car, and they won't survive without proper care and nourishment.) While Scott was talking to dispatch, he also asked that some baricades or cones could be brought to protect the fawn, so it wouldn't get ran over, since it was in the road. I, then, went back up the hill to warn cars to miss it as they were coming down, and Scott was going to flag cars that were coming up the hill. As I walked up the hill, I looked over and happened to see a doe coming down another hill, as it got closer to a fence on the other side of the road, the baby fawn tried to get up, but fell again, and rolled over. It also started making a crying noise. We knew it was it's mother. I can tell you that I sure was hoping it would jump over the fence and help it's baby. Scott was hoping it would nudge the baby fawn to get it to be able to get up. We both put distance between us and the fawn and watched as the mother figured out what she was going to do. Unfortunately, it was still pouring down rain and crows were starting to swarm over our heads and landing in the trees. Scott let me know that this was not a good thing. We both continued to keep our distance hoping the mother deer would get to the fawn, but she kept her distance, too. Meanwhile, the fawn had rolled and fallen so much that it was now laying in the gutter, at the edge of the road, and in the rain water that was coming down the hill. The air was getting colder, too. The fawn was getting weaker and weaker and the crows knew it. If we put too much distance between us and the fawn, Scott knew that they would come down and attack it. The city crew showed up and Scott put cones around the fawn and also put a vest over the top to try to persuade the crows to go away, but they wouldn't. In the meantime, the mother deer disappeared over the top of the mountain. We received word that "Fawn Rescue" was going to be at least 40 minutes. That was a lot of time for this fawn to be laying still in cold water. We knew that its life was getting shorter and shorter because we'd already been there for some time. At this point, the Community Safety Officer (CSO) showed up. Up to this point, we hadn't touched the fawn because we wanted the mother deer to not abandon it. They do that because they can smell the scent of a human. Now, that the mother was no where to be seen, and the fawn was getting wetter and weaker by the minute, Scott decided it was time to get it picked up and warmed up so it would survive until Fawn Rescue would arrive. We left with the baby fawn sitting on the front seat of the CSO's truck wrapped up with the heater on. It looked much more content....

.........I'm sure glad that we decided to do the longer hike that morning.!

P.S. A story was featured in our local paper about this... Every life is precious

Unfortunately, they didn't have all the correct details, but it let people know about "Fawn Rescue!.

P.S.S. Sorry, Mindy....I know deer aren't your favorite, but this fawn was pretty precious! I think you would've liked it, too!

The Deer Club...

When I was dating Scott, and I came to California, one of the places he took me to, was "The Deer Club". It was a place that he spent a lot of time at as a kid. He would spend his summers there with his "Grandad" and "Nana". (I never met "Nana", as she passed away about 10 years before I was even in the Allred family.) The Deer Club, I came to learn was a magical place, where special memories were made. Kids could be kids! They could roam the outdoors and hike the trails. They'd make lizard catchers. It was a place without electricity, or telephones, so you could just enjoy being with family and friends, and have each others undivided attention. When Grandad was a live, you would hear his radio going during an Oakland Warrior game, but that was about it. So much fun was had there. The memories are so numerous.......but let me name a few since I came into the family: Family Reunions (one when I was pregnant with our first child), children learning to drive the old red jeep, shotgun shooting (Yes, even I can hit clay pigeons! I found that out when I was dating Scott! Grandad was impressed!), Thanksgivings with extended family, playing games, visiting around the fire, families sleeping in the cabins, Children laughing and telling stories, night time jeep rides and spot lighting-looking for the animals eyes, chasing jack rabbits, chasing wild baby pigs, looking for steelhead in the creek, looking for arrowheads, "booney bouncing" in the jeep, quad riding up the hills, deer hunting, playing in the cave, jumping into the pool under the waterfall, dirty hands, smiling faces, teeter totter rides, target practice, hugs, love of outdoors, running, feeding pet deer, singing folk songs, listening to poems....the list could go on.

The Deer Club truly was a magical place.....This cabin was a home away from home, where, even though Grandad has been gone for a while now, when we would drive out there and see it, happiness would fill my soul because of the memories that had been made there. It was a place filled with memories of love and gladness.

Unfortunately, there was a fire......Grandad's cabin is gone, as well as some other cabins, a skinning shed, an outdoor eating area, and some storage cabins.

A part of my heart is gone, too.

My heart aches to have the cabin back. The photo albums that were in there. The smell of the fireplace burning. The pictures of grandad and loved ones on the walls. The old bottles on the shelf above the table. The can of pictures on top of the refrigerator. The books of poems on the shelves. The table in the corner. The gun rack behind the couch with a hole, where someone wasn't careful and brought in a gun with a round still in the chamber. (Yes, no one got hurt and a lesson was learned!) The old vintage stove. The gas refrigerator. The victrola in the bedroom. The leaky kitchen faucet. The pink toilet in the bathroom. Grandads old bed and his dresser. The beds where my boys made up stories as they played with their cousins. The smell of pies baking in the oven. I even miss, the musty smell and the sound of mice in the back porch. So many things, but most importantly, the memories they represent in my families lives. I have shed tears from heartache, knowing that the cabin, and all of it's belongings, are gone. Fortunately, memories, stay in the heart and mind, and that's what we have to cherish.

I am so grateful that Scott, and the boys and Sage and Dallin were able to be out there a few weeks before the fire. More memories were made, and even our grandkids got to make some!

To the Deer Club:

"Thanks for all the wonderful memories for Scott, myself, our children and those that we shared it with. Your memory will stay in our hearts forever." :'(

A special, fun filled weekend!

We just experienced one of the best 4 days! Our whole family together!

We had such a great time! We also were blessed to have our sweet new granddaughter, Hazel, get blessed in our Ward! It was so great! They brought her to us and now her name is on the records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! One special day of many to come.

She was blessed in the same dress as her sister, Sage, and her mom, our daughter-in-law, Kim. The dressed was made for Kim when she was born, by her aunt. What a great tradition. When

Sage grows up she will get the dress. Hazel was so sweet during the blessing, a little fussing, but over all, just sweet baby noises. Love to hear those precious sounds. It was a great day for our family.

We also spent time having fun! When the grandbabies come, they love for grandpa to give them rides on the quads. We have a small backyard, so they go back and forth. They also took them out to some property we lease for the day! They had a great time!

Another fun activity was having an Easter Egg Hunt at Grandma Marilyns-their great grandma's. They carried another tradition of wearing the basket on their heads and starting at the gate! It was fun to watch them and relive our boys looking for eggs in their Grandma's yard.

Other fun: games, laughs, food, stories, picnics, cooking, shopping, lots of hugs and kisses, scriptures, prayer (nothing beats hearing a 2 year old read scriptures and say prayers!), etc.

I'm so grateful that we have an eternal family! We are so blessed to have these precious people in our family! Love them all!

Tulips! Tulips! Tulips!

I have always loved tulips, but have never had great luck with them, so last year I decided to try again. I bought the bulbs. I then read online how I should plant them and what I should add to them to help them grow. I bought my supplies and planted away. To my surprise, they came up and were beautiful! I felt my dutch heritage was in full bloom in my backyard!

My only fear.....my little hole digger or should I say, my garden enemy, the gopher!

They like to eat tulip bulbs! Hopefully, I will still have them after he finishes going through the garden this summer! He better beware! Anyone have any tips for me on that????

A new granddaughter...

We were blessed to have a new addition come into our family-Hazel Ann Allred! Our new addition came into the world on March 22! We are so very happy to have her be a part of our family and so grateful for the blessing that she is to us and to her parents. I never realized how wonderful being a grandparent could be, until I became one! It is such a blessing in my life.

I just love those little bundles of joy, and I love seeing them grow! I also love seeing our son being a dad. It all brings such joy to my life! It's all about Families!

As for being a "Grandma", I've always loved children. I've always loved my children. But,I can definately say, that I really should have been a grandparent first, and then I would've been a much better parent. As a grandparent, I've realized that there are so many things that can wait. But children growing up, can't! You have to enjoy every minute! I've also learned that everything doesn't have to be perfect. You just have to take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way. I tried to do a lot with my own children. I played a lot with them, and yes, they were my priority, but I can't say that I took every opportunity to just have fun and spend time with them. I tried, but as a a grandparent, I can see that there were also missed opportunities. And before I knew it, my boys were all grown up!

So, my goal as a grandma is to not miss out on those chances of fun and learning.....I'm hoping to be the best grandma there is! I'm looking forward to so many opportunities with our grandchildren. I just wished they lived closer so I could play every day!

I dis take advantage of the opportunity that I had to go on this trip to meet our new little "Hazel"! I had such a great time! I was able to read, cook, play games, play outside, draw with chalk, go for walks, sing, and play some more.

P.S. I don't think I've ever say "Little Bunny Foo Foo" so many times in my life! But, Sage and Dallin loved singing it and doing the actions every night before bed! Great memories were made.....oh, and I also can't forget, singing, "I'm a Little Teapot" with it's actions, and also, "There was an old Lady who swallowed a Fly"! Fun! Fun! Fun! Wouldn't trade it for anything!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

So...how did you celebrate the "Day of Love"? As for me, I got to go to work....

But I came home to this:

What you don't see, is all the bags of peanut M&M's around the bottom!

Plus, a dinner out to La Hacienda! The kitchen cleaned.....Thanks, guys!

I just love my boys and their dad! I'm spoiled rotten!

Turning 50....

Well, this was the big birthday year...the big "5-0", as everyone says.

"Over The Hill", "Half a century" "The Black Birthday"

Well, as my dad says, "It's better to be over the hill than under!"

(Besides, I like planting daisies instead of pushing them up!)

So, I'm here to say that turning 50, isn't a big deal! It didn't bother me a bit and it still doesn't. I really don't feel 50, although, I don't know how it's supposed to feel, unless it is feeling just fine! I can tell you, though, that 20 years ago, when I turned 30, I absolutely hated it. I can honestly say that it depressed me. I couldn't believe I was "So Old"! Wow, how naive I was on that day, 30's not old at all! Just a young'in, I was.

And....I'm still there, at least in my mind! :)

I also, can tell you, that others get a pretty big kick out of you turning 50!

You may get pretty flowers!

If you work at a school you may get to see your class at school wearing black!

You may find black balloons on your desk, and outside your classroom!

You may get great helium balloons with great sayings on them!

You may even can get a fun t-shirt to wear! (Of course, when I chose to wear it-a ward Relief Society activity, I ended up in the local paper. Now, that's how you announce to your whole town that you are officially 50! lol)

(Yes, I do still act 19! But, I dont' feel 75...whatever that feels like!)

So, to conclude this post, if you're not 50 yet, no worries! It's just another fun chapter in your life! The best part, you realize how every day is such a blessing and you need to enjoy every day!

..What are you going to do now???? I'm going to DISNEYLAND!

Well....we got David home from his mission, Michael finished his 1st semester of the MPA program, Steven resigned from the fire Department, Kim is 6 months pregnant, Scott had some vacation time to use and I just like to get my family together....so what are we going to do next?
WE WENT TO DISNEYLAND!!!!!

On December 19th, we headed off with Steven and David to Disneyland! Michael, Kim and family were going to meet us there. I was so excited to finally have all of our family together for the first time in 2 years! Plus, David would be able to finally meet Dallin! (He was born on Dec. 29th, 2008, the day David left the MTC to travel to Spokane!) Itwas another wet, windy trip, but we still had a lot of fun!

What an adventure! It's a good thing it is the "Happiest Place on Earth", because I'm sure that is why everyone stayed happy and had a great time, in spite of being wet!

Yes, it really was that wet!

We found the way to handle "Disneyland in the Rain"!
TIPS:
Pay for ART (Anaheim Rapid Transit.....it runs every 20 min. to Disneyland!)
Get up and go to Disneyland until the afternoon.
Catch bus and go back to your hotel.
Feed everyone lunch.
Put Jackets/clothes in dryer, so they get dry!
Take a nap!
Catch bus again and go back in the evening.
Ride until your sopping wet, again!
(Have a backpack with lots of snacks available for grandbabies while waiting in lines.)
Go back to hotel.
Put jackets in dryer and shoes on heater, so ready for the next day!
OTHER TIPS:
Don't worry about your hair in the rain, just put it in a pony tail and wear a hat!
If shoes don't get completely dry, wear plastic bags over your socks!
If there is no raingear anywhere to buy.....use garbage bags for your grandkids to help keep them dry! (It works wonders....check out the family picture!)

OPEN HOUSE AND VISITORS FOR DAVID

A couple days after we got home from Spokane, we had an Open House for David.

The night was wet and very rainy, but we did get some visitors!

Plus, we had relatives and one of David's best buddies!

It was fun to have people just stop in! Thank you!

(Our nephew Kyle, his wife, Ashley and Baby James! They came and spent the night and then went quad riding with Steven the next day! It was so much fun having them!)

A Trip to get our Missionary!!!

Who would've thought how quickly 2 years can fly by! We couldn't believe it was time again to go and get our missionary....Elder David Allred! But, it was, so off we went to head that way! The week before we were to pick him up, the family that the missionaries live with called to forewarn of of the cold/snowy weather that they were having and to make sure that we were planning on bringing chains and a vehicle that can handle snow! Fortunately, we already had the things in place! Plus, a bike ride to bring his bike home with him! The first day we drove to Redding, CA and spent the night, so the next day would be a shorter travel day. The next day we went to Portland, Oregon and we were able to visit with my sister, Linda and her husband, Jay. It is always fun to visit them! We went with them to their ward building and saw a "Creche" presentation. They had quite a few of them set up. All very amazing, but one was actually made out of aluminum cans. It truly was incredible! A fun night!

The next day, Sunday, we drove to Spokane, because we were invited to go to the mission home and have dinner that night, as well as hear the testimonies of the missionaries that were going home! My heart was full as I thought of seeing our son, who we hadn't seen for 2 years! As we drove, every so often, tears would well up in my eyes. I couldn't believe that it was finally time to go and see him, and the 2 years were over. It truly did go by so fast. We got to Spokane and checked into our hotel and then just had to wait for the time to pass to go and see "Elder Allred'.

When the time came to go to the Mission home, Scott and I dressed in church clothes. The drive to the Mission Home seemed to take a lot longer than we'd planned, but it really wasn't.

We arrived at the home and knocked on the door. Little did we know that David knew that it was us. He had the Mission President's wife come down to open the door. As soon as we were in, Elder Allred came down the stairs and gave us hugs!

Many of the other Elders that were going home, too, gave a big cheer!

It was pretty amazing! Even thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. What an exciting day! It was so great to see our "baby boy"! He looked great! He was happy and you could tell that he was torn between knowing the mission was over, yet also knowing it was time to go home. We were blessed with a wonderful dinner, and then we had the testimony meeting. The Spirit was so strong as each Elder and Sister bore their testimony of what they had been teaching for 18 months to 2 years. Their testimonies were strong. You could tell that they had grown and many lives were blessed because of the sacrifice that they had made in serving a mission. It was truly a wonderful experience.

We then loaded up "Elder Allred's" things and gave him a big hug good night, as he was spending the night with the missionaries at the MIssion home and we'd be back in the morning.!

Sleep wasn't the best that night, as I once again thought of how great it was to pick him up in the morning.

Anyway, we obviously picked him up and then went to visit a few people from his mission. The first family we met was the Conants.

What great people! They had a son on a mission that entered the MTC on the same day as David.....December 10, 2008! They were waiting for him to return home a couple of days later. You could feel their love for David and we really appreciated it. They even made hoer'dearves for him...goose wrapped in bacon...a treat they had made him before that he loved! (David has always been a finicky eater, so we were amazed how much he loved them! I have to admit they were really good!) We had a wonderful time visiting with them! Then we made a trip to Coeur D'Alene. We visited some more people, and then David was visited out, so we headed back to Portland to Aunt Linda's and Uncle Jay's! It was a RAINY, WINDY night! We were sure glad to make it there safely!

The next day, Tuesday, December 14th, we traveled back home! Elder Allred was dressed as a missionary, since he wasn't released yet, and you could tell he was looking forward to being out of his suit and the car, too! We stopped in Lakeport so he could meet with President Engstrom,

our Stake President, and then Elder Allred, was now just David. You could tell that he could feel the release of being a missionary, all that he had known for 2 years. I had seen the look before in his 2 brothers....the look of sadness that the time had come and the 2 years were over. We then drove home and he got to see his brother, STeven!

They have always had a great bond and it was so great to see their love for each other as they hugged! A wonderful thing!

I'm so grateful that our 3 boys, and their dad, too, were willing to give 2 years of their lives to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to Heavenly Father's children. I know that my life is so full because of the blessing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is in my life. I truly can't imagine life without it. I hope that the lives that changed, because of missionaries throughout the world, truly understand the great blessing that they have!