Angel Fire

Hello! Here are some photos from our trip last week to Angel Fire, NM. Brandi's brother and his family decided not to go this year after all and James and Brandi invited us to use the extra room. Lewis, Colton and I (John had to work) jumped at the opportunity and we had a wonderful time. We had two rooms and two full baths, fireplaces and a full kitchen. Brandi even made cupcakes for Valentine's Day. Anyone else have any last minute cancellations? I wonder where we'll get to go next? :-) It was incredibly beautiful up there. I loved riding the ski lift, but discovered that I am not a natural skier. This probably comes as no surprise to my family! Lewis and Colton took to the slopes and James was a patient and excellent teacher for them. By Saturday, they had gone down almost every run on the mountain. Our mornings began with James hustling Lewis and Colton out of bed and onto to the ski lift when they began running at 9am. After the ski lifts closed at 4pm, James and Brandi would take Anna out to sled on the slope near the resort. We usually ended the day by swimming in the pool. What an unexpected and wonderful vacation! The boys are hooked. Thanks to James, Brandi, and Anna for inviting us to tag along!

Love, Elizabeth

Spring is Coming in Bellingham - Llew

Dear all, I think that spring is coming because when I went out to take care of Wanda's (duck's) pools a few days ago, all the crocus were up (croci?), in a multitude of colors. So I pushed aside the leaf fall in the gardens, and everything else is coming up also. As a result, today I gardened with the cats and Wanda, planting a few new dahlias and some lilies, and thinking again that I wished that I had paid better attention to mother and to Granny Gray as they gardened. My efforts are fairly hit and miss, just hoping that I put it at the right depth and with the right stuff to grow well. Vonnie and I are going to see "The Marriage of Figaro" with a couple of friends in Mount Vernon in early March. We have discovered a new theater (new to us) that has classical music and dance presentations that are quite good; it's where we saw "Amahl and the Night Visitors" right before Christmas. Imagine, culture and the classics, right in Skagit County at McIntyre Hall. Then, we are going down to Seattle to visit friends. As we have grown older, driving down to Seattle has seemed like a longer, harder trip, so it's not often that we do it now. Riding the Amtrac down for fun is still good, because someone else does all the work and we just get all the ease. I know, I know, - Amtrac! - but the short ride along the Sound to Seattle is good. Well, I just wanted to add a note, because I saw how long it had been since I had. And, hearing from the rest of you would also be nice. Have a good early spring, and I hope your snow and ice is melting away for those of you who have had lots. I've thought of Maxine and Bill in New York as I watched the weather. Their end of the lake doesn't get the hundreds of inches, but I imagine that it gets enough. Love, Llew

New info about blogs

I have learned new information about the Internet, global communication, blogs, how to uncover web sites (their history, who really is behind the web site, when they begin, how each has changed over the years--began 1995), safety and ability to find somone's personal information (companies really do research us in job applications) even if the person thought they deleted the info (I have learned that nothing is ever deleted from the Internet), and blog safety.

Go to www.technorati.com to see if your user name appears anywhere on the Internet in blogs. My linsue user name comes up as Linsue (not me), but because the similarites are too close for my comfort, I am changing to linsuerob, which does not show up on technorati.

I have invited Steve Dunn to join our blog. He has accepted. I will also invite John Key and Chuck Robbins. We will have to see if they accept or not. I have been insensitive to the male side of our family, and do not wish to be sexist, so there.

Please take care. Love, linsuerob

I goofed on previous picture from Wichita

I goofed and made the previous picture too large. I am learning as I go. I hope this looks better and you can see the right end of the picture. Love, linsue

Christmas Day in Wichita 2006

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Here is Teri's family at her parents' home in Wichita. We enjoyed our visit with them Christmas Day this year.

In the front row are Heather and Amber Ashbrook, Teri's daughters. Heather, 8th grader, lives with Teri and Chuck in Park City, a Wichita suburb. Amber is a senior at KU in Lawrence. Next is Teri's Grandmother on her Mom's side, Gayla Hefley, Bradley Robbins, and Gary Hefley. Gayla and Gary are Teri's parents. Bradley, 20, is Chuck's oldest son, lives on his own in Bartlesville, and works two jobs: Wal-Mart Distribution Center for 3-12 hour nights and mall video game store on his days off.

In the second row are Ken and I, Rebecca (Becca) Robbins, Chuck's daughter (19), who had a baby girl earlier this month at the Claremore Hospital, Teri (Chuck's wife), and Teri's aunt Vicki and her husband Brian (former chiropractic doctors who spend their time on the road consulting with veterinarian practices about how to improve their image with their clients so they can make it to coastal areas to scuba and snorkel, their real love). They also grow oranges, tangerines, and avocados at their California home that are the best I have ever tasted.

The third row has Travis Ridder, Becca's mate, Jeffery (15) and Phillip (17), Chuck's sons from Bartlesville, Chuck (Ken's son) and Chris Hefley, Teri's brother.

Love, linsue

La La Land...

Wow, guess its been a while when you have to click on the October archive to catch up... Well, its January and everything is frozen here. We've gotten 3 waves of sleet and freezing rain in about 2.5 days. But it made for lots of fun this afternoon when we took Anna outside for a little sledding. She just loved it! Even took a face plant off of the sled and kept right on laughing. Hopefully I can get a few of the pics to load. They are of Anna and James sledding and then Anna warming up with a bit of hot chocolate. I guess it is a good thing I already have tomorrow off for MLK day, my guess is James will be off too since everything is still frozen. We had a great holiday season. From Thanksgiving to New Year's all were filled with family and friends and good times. And thanks to Ken I now have knobs on all but 2 cabinet doors and drawers in the house! Yeah Ken!

Now we're looking forward to February and James's skiing trip. He'll be headed to Angel Fire in New Mexico the second week. He's very excited. Haven't decided if Anna and I will go, that will depend on who goes with him. Since I won't be skiing and she's too young thats a lot of time in the resort without him. James skis from when the slopes open to when they close when he gets the chance.

Take care everyone, and I'll try to do better.

Christmas--The End

James enjoyed being the "kid" Dad with Anna and didn't mind being climbed all over by Colton and Anna. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love, Grandma linsue


 

The Grandma who forgot titles

James and Brandi are taking it all in with Anna and her cousins. James became a big Santa's helper for a while. Love, linsue


 

Lewis was busy putting his sports posters together while James and Anna were checking other things out. Love, Grandma linsue


 

Everything was settled down before we joined the boys for opening gifts. They were fully involved with their video games. Love, Grandma linsue


 

Colton and Anna were Santa's elves and helped pass out the gifts to everyone. Love, linsue


 

We enjoyed a late Christmas with Elizabeth, John, Lewis, and Colton's family on Sunday, December 31st. Elizabeth and Grandpa shared some Christmas cheer while John checked out his Christmas gifts. Love, linsue


 

I couldn't resist getting these shots of Brandi and James when James jumped into Brandi's lap

James and Anna love to twirl around. I think I would want something more substantial to hold on to than my Daddy's nose. Love, Grandma linsue