5th Grandson Arrives

Yes, He made it here on my Birthday. Today Charles Nash VanderHouwen entered this world. His mama had a C-Section at 11:00 this morning and he was here to greet the thrilled mama & daddy .. All whopping 9#15 oz & 21 inches of him . What a Hunk! He is beautiful and healthy and mama is doing great! Daddy is on cloud #9. This is his second child after a daughter was born 20 years ago! I was presnt for her birth as well. (Charlie is My daughter-in-law's first). My Gosh now I really feel old.
My son's mother-in-law presented me with a birthday cake at the hospital tonight what a lovely surprise. I will be here in Denver for two more weeks. The baby and son & daughter-in-law will come home on Wednesday, providing mama continues to do well..
I will post pictures soon.

Packed & ready

A busy day, packed my bag and repacked it (I'm gonna be gone 15 days not sure what Not to pack) but I think I have rearranged enough and so I zip it shut and declare I am ready to make the drive to Portland tomorrow morning...( 5 hours) & I fly to Denver Saturday morning. We will stay over night tomorrow night with Clay's family so it will be a nice stop over.

Gas is $3.27 here today so we filled up the convertable as we get great mileage with it instead of the 4x4 Explorer.

News from Denver baby household is ....everything is a go except Charlie hasn't decided to make the journey south quite yet, I am sure he is waiting for me..So I will be blogging from my son's computer waiting for the arrival...of my sweet grandson.

Finally hung the famlily photos

After stepping over & around the family photos laying on the hall floor, We finally hung them all.
We are expecting to add a few in the empty spaces. Our wedding photo and our new grandson's. My daughters need to update their kids pictures with this school years and We are hoping to get the girls to send us pictures of themselves & their husbands to finish the family album wall. Christmas is coming..( Hint Hint)
That being completed we made some "spring rolls" to enjoy when Clay's family arrive tomorrow afternoon. It was another day in the kitchen as I have a roast in the oven for dinner now and Clay is working on his famous "Rib Rub". We also hung another bird feeder for our feathered friends.

Nice Saturday Afternoon

Clay & I took a drive around the area, Beautiful views of Mt. Shasta and the Cascades. We had a nice lunch in the forest along the Klamath River, and picked up seeds from a cedar tree and a few acrorns , I will try to plant .

My herbs are planted in the kitchen window:

My Wooden Chicken is in the entry hall with my Quilt wall hanging, Raggedy Ann in Clay's Grandpas child rocker: and my old wooden chicken crate is inthe corner of the kitchen with my farm fresh sign and 3 chicken plates on the wall.

Being a Grandma is so much fun!

I am going to Denver..Yipee!
Flying out next Saturday the 18th.
Dennis has a magic show that night and I will get to see him perform..
Michelle you have a tough act to follow!
Then if "charlie hasn't arrived into this world he will perform on the 19th!"
Making it even a more special birthday for me!
I am so excited. This is hubby's birthday pressie to me.
He cannot join me on this trip as he has some other medical business to tend to.
He will be taking me to Portland to catch the plane. Its a 5 hour drive... I could fly straight to SanFrancisco & change planes but a non-stop goes from Portland direct so I chose that flight. and He has family in the area so will go there & then come back to pick me up the 1st of November.
I will post pix of "Charlie " asap.

Friday Morning but No snow!

Another cold morning, but no snow. Cloudy & a bit windy 38 degrees but sunny right now at 11 am.
It was predicted but thankfully it didn't fall. I heard maybe today again but only 30% and that may well be only in the higher areas.

The deer are bedded down on the hillside behind the house, under the juniper trees & prairie grasses & wandering only a few feet grazing on shrubs close. A bit jittery I think since deer season is here and hunters are about.

I canned 6 more jars of Italian prunes this morning and that take care of the remaining I had.
Will make some more bread today. Priced it yesterday in the store nearly $4 a loaf, for a healthy & wholesome loaf, not the cheaper white fluff.
We are really working on reducing our household costs here as winter sets in, with our economy where it is. It is a challenge for everyone I am sure.
Bought energy saving light bulbs yesterday and gleaned the remaining beets and peas from the garden.

More pictures before winter

This is our Buster

The rooster crows..here until we get a real one!

Here a few pictures of the kitchen & one of the guest rooms

Thursday Morning

brrrrrrrr its cold this morning.
Just hung out a load of laundry and my fingers are freezing..
Have a few errands to run today,and getting a late start.
I did get some Italian Prunes and canned 6 jars last night.
I need more jars and want to do some prune jam as well.
I am not sure what the difference is between plums & prunes but they are good..

Spent the day in Bend Oregon yesterday Dr appointment for Clay and Lunch with sister in law and her mum.
Nice lunch & visit at Anthony's.
I always love seafood and this is a chain We visited alot in Washington when we lived there.

Hello,

Clay and I welcome you to our home.

I will post other pictures so you can see some of my

rooms.

Come on in....

The pond is nearly empty this time of the year, but a few birds & frogs still inhabit the low water. Spring run off from the snow will fill it again in time for the ducks returning.

Coming into the driveway.

Welcome to our Home " the Blue Sky Homestead"

Here is my badge! I finally finished it.

No plums

Neighbor gone said to pick the fruit...No plums... but more apples. I think johnathans , very crisp and tart sweet, round and red.. maybe winesaps.. whatever they are good!

Sunday

Went to church, and to lunch at a nice resturant with hubby. Exchanged a lamp from purchase yesterday as it was broken when we took it out of the box. (Boy was it a test to put the darn thing back into the original packaging).
Now have been working on posting pictures on here, I will figure it out eventually....
Baked 3 apple spice cakes in quart jars.. sealed fine.

Just saw 5 deer on the hill behind our home.. * I hope they hide as a hunter shot one yesterday. I know its hunting season... I just couldn't shoot one of these beautiful animals. They have been grazing all summer with a couple fawn.. " Run, Hide Bambi".
My husband does not hunt, thankfully & I do not like deer meat.
Headed out to pick some plums...yummy....

Here I am

I am new to this blogging .. I love the challenge to make my own.
It may take me some time and I will post some pictures eventually of my new farmlife, family and travels. I am taking a quilting class in November so I may have some other surprises top post. I love the country life and simplicity of getting back to the basics. I read, sew, craft, cook and spend time with friends & family.
It has been a dream come true to live here in Klamath Falls on our one little acre.
My husband & I are retired so we have Lots of time to do all the things we want to do here and are blessed to be able to travel when we want to do that. We visited Costa Rica in January this year before selling our home & buying our new one and moving from Arizona to Oregon in July.
I am known to my 6 grandchildren as gramma cheryl and my husband is papa clay.

My Story

Hello from Klamath Falls, Oregon.

I a grandmother of 6 soon to be 7 and 60 years old I think I do ok.
opps! I will be 61 in a couple weeks. Yikes!

My Husband & I bought our dream home in July this year. We are both retired and wanted a small one acre farm. I retired from social work in Arizona as the Domestic Violence Services coordinator for a non profit organization.
My husband owned & operated his own trucking business "Bluesky Mining Enterprises" hauling landscaping rock in Washington state.

Our families are grown and live in Washington State except my son & his wife who live in Colorado. My son is a magician by trade, and his wife is ( pregnant) a very talented artist. She paints beautiful murals for decorating purposes in peoples homes. My oldestdaughter works at Boeing as a project manager and is graduating in June 2009 with her masters in business management. She has a son 18 * who is also graduating from highschool in June. My son in law is graduating also with his masters in manufacturing engineering, he also works for Boeing.

My youngest married daughter and mother of 3 sons, 15, 7, 5 and step mother to a 15 yr old daughter is completing her teaching degree and is currently substitute teaching, she also graduates in June 2009. I am very proud of my children and grandchildren.

My husband has one daughter. She is getting married next year, ( I hope not in June) She & her fiance live in Washington as well.