George Lucas Could Have Used These Kids!!!

You know those foam alphabet tile mats that have the punch out alphabet letters that you just hate to put back together after the kids have punched out the letters and pictures?

Our grandkids have discovered great new uses for these foam squares that lock together! They have made go-carts, boxes, and an assortment of fences and cars but this is their newest invention. That's right!!! Being the true Star Wars fans that we are......meet the "Square Head" storm troopers!!!!

Another Week and Off to School!

Christy looks great! Ellie's new bedding....she just turned 12 and loves design!

Cathy's birthday bash...sort of!

Well...it has been a long summer. School for me and Jennifer.....memorial service for Maxine Bryan....visits to the Johnsons and Murreys twice....surgery for Cathy and a hospital stay for Sandra (so glad you are both doing fine!) and this past week upon finding myself actually living in my own home again Jennifer and I are gearing up for our Fall semester classes.....and of course Chuk is working on his newest script and film with Christian Yost. All in all...we have been busy!!!

Our funnest activity this past weekend was running to Dillards at the Mall. Someone mentioned to us that suits were 40% off of 50% off prices for Saturday only. So we made a run on the store and found 2 suits Chuk liked. We called Ernest and he ran out and bought one as well....$500-$700 suits for $160 a piece.

You have to realize I have been BEGGING Chuk to get a new suit for the past few years, but to no avail. Why spend $$$$$$ on a suit when you can spend it on every electronic gizmo you can find???

He's great at saving $$$$$ but I'm great at getting the good deals. We are a perfect match!!!!

Surgery the Cathy Way!

I made it back to town this week after spending 2 weeks tending and loving on our kids in Bountiful. Cathy managed to recoup fast enough to be up and around a couple of days before I left. So here are some pictures of Cathy's ordeal!

hmmmmm..........didn't realize I caught her smiling after surgery! Must be because she's glad to see me!

Okay...so the smile is bigger three days later when she's just about ready to go home. Must be because she loves that family of hers so much. Notice her walking buddy. I need one of those to help me over the threshold at church (see previous post!).

Well....I had other photos from the trip but I thought I would just take the time to tell all of you

how to do surgery the Cathy way...

1. Call Mom (me!) less than a week before you are to go in so Mom can panic thinking she can't find any low airfares to get to the hospital in time.

2. Make sure there is a Tropical Storm on the way to Mom's house so she can call on her son-in-law's secret weapon at the airline's main office to get her out a day earlier so she can miss all the cancellations that are going to occur after she's made the reservation (Thank you Ming)!

3. Decide the night before surgery to go running with a friend so you'll be good and rested for your early morning appearance at the hospital (Cathy, what were you thinking?) Honestly, I think that Cathy running all over the mountains every week helped her heal faster than I ever could!

4. Scare everyone by developing a hematoma and then getting dizzy and throwing up everyday after the surgery for a few days.

5. Rent tons of "Gilmore Girls" Dvd's so that when you get home from your ordeal in the hospital you can laugh your head off with your Mom by your side laughing her guts out too! (Good for the stitches!)

6. Keep a list of all meds taken so that when you have to wake up every morning around 4 am with "REAL PAIN" you'll remember which pill you really need to take and at what time you can really take it!

7. And finally.........smile often, reminesce endlessly about life, love, happiness, and family...and then fall asleep in mid sentence as soon as the meds take effect, with Mom sitting there holding your hand. My favorite moments!!!!!