PUPPIES DAY 8

All tuckered out after a bath and bottle....

Mom makes sure we are doing it right!

Aunt Rica adores the little ones!

PUPPIES HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Puppies have arrived!  We have one boy and one girl... at this point they are pretty much identical.

DAY ONE

DAY THREE

Chica had to have a C-section so is not yet totally enamored with the pups.

COLUMBINE

Are these gorgeous or what!  Hopefully they will still be blooming when I get home next week.

AWNING

Loren bought this awsome electric awning at an auction and Brett helped him install it last weekend.  It will be really nice now that the days are getting warmer.  Good job guys!

WILDLIFE ON THE MOUNTAIN

The turkeys are back!  We hadn't seen any wild turkeys for a few years but now they are coming back around.  Loren snapped these pictures today.

This little yearling still needs to lose some winter coat but seems to enjoy grazing on the lawn.

Rica checking him out.....

OK, maybe he's getting a little close?!?!?!

PESKY VISITOR!

Loren and the girls have been visited by this bear at least three times.  It drives the girls absolutely crazy!!

Helping himself to some bird food.

Who, me?

CACTUS FLOWERS

I didn't get out and take very many pictures of cactus flowers this year but thought I'd share the few good ones I did get.

TOO CUTE!!!

I was downloading pictures off my camera when I ran across this one that Loren must have taken.  It is so darn cute I just had to share it!!!  (It is also now on my desktop so I can see them every time I get on the computer.)

NEW COURTYARD

(This post is for mainly for my fellow park residents.)  They finished pouring the concrete courtyard and it looks really nice except for the obvious lack of shade.  They also poured some concrete sidewalks and completed one shuffleboard court. 

MILITARY TOWN

I never get tired of seeing military training maneuvers.  These Hueys were flying right down the middle of our street and landing across the river at the West Wetlands Park.  They were flying so low the whole house was shaking and they created their own dust storm but were a lot of  fun to watch!

LLOYD KELLY

I received word last weekend that my biological father passed away.  I did not know him at all but have had the opportunity to talk to his absolutely delightful daughter-in-law Fawn (Patrick's wife) a couple of times.  I did not know I had so many half sisters and brothers! Patrick works for Southwest Airlines and Fawn works for Hewlett Packard, they have two absolutely adorable children, and live in Enumclaw, Washington.  Hopefully I will get to meet them all someday.

LLOYD KELLY

Long-time Mineral resident Lloyd Kelly, 81, passed away March 19, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lloyd was born May 3, 1928 in American Falls, Idaho. He was the son of Ralph Kelly and Thelma Lloyd and eldest brother to Ray, Dick and Loa-Mae. He graduated from Rockland High School in Rockland, ID in 1946 and enlisted in the Navy. He married Letha Marler in 1952. Their children are Coleen and Kathleen. He then married Colleen Marshall in 1958. Their children are Sheri, Tammy, and Danny. He then married Patricia O’Neil in 1966. They had one child together, Patrick. His step-children with Patricia are Debbie, Pam, David, Teri and Marty. He has numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lloyd and Patricia moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1967 for work at Boeing. Lloyd was part of the team that painted the very first Boeing 747. In 1970, they moved to Mineral and he worked in the woods for the St. Regis logging company. He also worked for Champion/Morton Forest Products lumber mill in Morton, where he retired in 1993. They then moved to Las Vegas. Not able to sit still, he worked security in Las Vegas for 12 years before finally retiring in 2005. He enjoyed reading the newspaper, collecting stamps, and in his younger years, playing the trumpet.

Preceding him in death are his parents Ralph and Thelma, his sister Loa Mae, and his daughter Kathleen.

A memorial is planned for 2pm, Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Mineral Gymnasium. All are invited to attend.

CHRISTMAS 2009

We were lucky enough to have all of our children and grandchildren, except Hope, in Yuma for Christmas this year.  Chad and family drove down from Portland in their Bigfoot; Rick, Brett and Heidi flew down from Boise; and David and family drove over from the LA area (Trabuco Canyon).  Everyone spent a few days visiting and then Loren's boys headed over to Ajo (Arizona) Christmas morning to visit with their mother.  It was really nice for everyone to finally meet and get to know each other.

Front Row: Jonathan, Alyssa, Chase, Celie, Meg and Miranda

Middle Row: Crystal, Coleen, and Pam

Back Row: David, Rick, Loren, Chad, Brett, and Heidi

THE GIRLS

Front: Celie, Meg, Miranda and Alyssa

Back: Crystal, Coleen, Pam and Heidi

THE BOYS

Front: Jonathan, Chad and Chase

Back: David, Brett, Loren and Rick

COUSINS

Front: Chase and Miranda

Middle: Alyssa, Celie and Meg

Back: Jonathan

CHAD'S FAMILY AT IMPERIAL DATE GARDENS

Front: Chase and Meg

Back: Chad and Pam

DAVID'S FAMILY

Front: Miranda and Celie

Middle:  Jonathan and Alyssa

Back: Crystal and David

Rica checking out one of the many Christmas presents she and Chica received while Chica supervises the effort.

SHUFFLEBOARD WIN

I finally won my first shuffleboard tournament this week! 

My partner was Bill Downing from Meridian.

WEEKEND VISIT

Crystal surprised us by bringing the kids over for a three-day weekend. We really enjoyed the visit.  Thanks Crystal!!!

The RZR is always a big hit!

Alyssa's Gothic Halloween costume.

Too much Trick or Treat for this little princess.

Miranda with Chica and Rica.

Our neighbor, Sandi, let each of the girls drive her golf cart.  They had a blast!

Loren and Jonathan in deep concentration.

Left to right:  Celie, Miranda and Alyssa.  How cute can you get?

Celie won the fudgiest fudgecicle face!!!

Grandma with Jonathan, Celie (with Chica), Alyssa and Miranda.  Jonathan will be 13 December 30, Celie will be 8 December 19, Alyssa will be 10 November 19, and Miranda will be 6 February 20.  They are growing up way to fast!!!

LUNCH IN MEXICO

We went to Mexico for lunch yesterday to celebrate (our neighbor) Millie's 86th birthday.  Clockwise from left to right - Flo, Norma, Millie, Tommy, Sandi, Ross and Loren.  Tommy is Sandi's son and came down from Alaska to help celebrate his grandmother's birthday.  He also bought lunch for everyone - thanks again Tommy!!!

BOISE

We spent a couple days in Boise for some appointments, shopping, and meeting up with friends and relatives.

We met up with Loren's middle son, Brett, and my niece, Gracie, for dinner at Chicago Connection Pizza.  It was really nice catching up with them again.  Brett lives and works in Boise, and Gracie is attending Boise State University - GO BRONCOS!!!

Met up with a long-time friend, Carol Sommer, for a couple drinks at our old hang-out - 10th Street Station in downtown Boise.  It was great visiting with her again!  Loren and I both worked with Carol at the Department of Labor and Industrial Services.  She now works for the Department of Health and Welfare with plans to retire in three years.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Carol!!!