Our Cabin Adventures

(Click on the pictures to enlarge) We just got back from a fun weekend in the mountains. There was a lot of snow surprisingly. We had to dig our way into the cabin. But once we got in we were able to light a fire and warm up. I hadn't been up when there was a lot of snow in a long time; and I forgot how fun it was.

This is the creek by our cabin that runs from the top of the mountains in Fawnskin and empties into Big Bear Lake. The weather was real warm and the snow was starting to melt.

This is our hidden little sledding area. This was a holiday weekend and yet we were the only ones there. It was sooooo fun. Aaron was having a blast riding that green disc down the hill. He just had to make sure that he stopped before he slid into the creek.


Here is Sam and Erika on the tobagan flying down the hill.

Let's do it again!

My husband is so wonderful...he walks on water....literally. He convinced us to do the same. At first I was afraid and my heart was pounding out of my chest...then I realized that we were okay and wouldn't fall through. Even if we did we would be in about at our waists.
The kids standing on the lake.

After our hike to the lake we stopped off at the park to have some fun. Janet and I are having a blast on the teeter totter.

Then it was Aaron, Erika and Nolan's turn.

Sam flying in the air...jumping off of the swing.

Here are a couple of shots inside the cabin. It is really old fashioned in there. Our refrigerater is older than I am and it still works really well.
Here is my wood burning/gas oven. We don't use it as an oven because the building inspector said that it was a fire hazard and we should disable it. I love it anyway.

This is what keeps us warm. The only source of heat...that is until Aunt Vicky gave us us this really awesome portable oven.

This not only bakes tasty cakes...it also warms up the kitchen. Aunt Vicky gave me her very old portable oven. It is in great shape and works very well. Janet and I thought that it would be fun to try it out and make Nolan a birthday cake.

Well...here it is...we made two layers out of loaf pans and frosted it with chocolate frosting....

MMM Good!
(Thanks Aunt Vicky!)

The kids decorated it with candles....

Seventeen to be exact.....

Happy birthday dear Nolan....

Happy birthday, to you...make a wish!

Home Schooling at the Library

Today was "Library Day". Zach comes with us on Wednesdays to do his math. Aaron likes the library too. Their favorite thing to do is to go downstairs to the food cart and eat lunch. Their "usual" is Nestle's Strawberry milk for Aaron and Nestle's Chocolate milk for Zach and creamy macaroni and cheese heated up in the microwave.

Where's Your Nose??

Where's Calvin's nose?

Where's Kirby's nose?

President Hinkley

For those of you who don't know, Gordon B. Hinkley, the president of the "Chrurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint" (the church that I belong to), passed away last week at the age of 97. One of my friends has challenged me and many others to Read the Book of Mormon in 97 days (for every year of President Hinkley's life). I am accepting this challenge and challenging all who would like to to do the same. I will be posting my progress (to the right of my blog under my profile picture) daily. If you click on it, it will take you to the challenge website. President Hinkley will surely be missed!

Calvin and Sam like listening to the Same Tunes

Is It Too Late to Say Happy New Year???

You Had an Average Year

While you had some setbacks, your year also brought some good things. All in all, things mostly evened out. That's just how life works. Focus on what went well for you - and what you can improve. A new year is a perfect reason to give yourself a fresh start!

How Did Your Year Rate?

I know that we are already half way through the month but I though it might still be appropriate to say "Happy New Year". I really haven't had a chance to think about the new year and resolutions until now. Things have just been sooooo busy. But I have been laid up in bed for the past week (me and my laptop) with the flu, so I am tired of the TV and playing solitaire on my PDA (something that I can do for hours). After taking the "How did your year rate?" quiz, I thought that I should maybe think about the New Year ahead and resolve to make it a little more than average...although average isn't too bad.

A few things that I should resolve to do:

1. Eat better - Now that I am ?6, I realize that if I want to feel well and have a good second half of life, I had probably ease up on the sugar and junk food and eat more fruits and veggies. Actually, I have been craving veggies...mmm...

2. Read more good books - Aaron and I have just finished reading "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". We loved it. I like a good story but I wouldn't say that I am an avid reader. I have a bad tendency to pick up a book, read through three quarters of it and then put it down and never pick it up again...no matter how good the book is. I hate that! I started reading "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer just after Christmas and then I put it down. My goal is to pick it up and finish it.

3. Get more exercise - I used to ride my bike all of the time. At one point a hundred miles a week. But I have gotten out of that habit. I did ride a little bit at Christmas Break but I could hardly ride 5 miles. I am soooo out of shape and especially now that I have been sick. I have a membership to two different gyms....places I haven't seen in a very long while. My goal is to visit these places more frequently.

Why don't you take the quiz and leave me a comment on how well your year rated.

Kissing Cousins

Well, I spent all day in bed with the flu so Kellie came over to home school Aaron for me. The highlight of the day was when Esther came in with Madeline in her little doll stroller. They are such good friends already and just love each other.

Stephen White Junior High School

(7th grade photo)

Talk about blast to the past...Back in the early 70's (can you believe that I willing to admit that?), I attended Stephen White Junior High School in Carson California for the 6th and 7th grades. My memory is such that I can't remember most of these classmates names. If you happened to have gone to this school at the same time that I did and recognize these student Please leave a comment!!! Junior high was okay but I wouldn't want to re-live it. As a matter of fact junior high resembles no other faction of life so I think that we should just do away with it. It's so...so....Junior Highish!

I can't remember these girls' names but I think that the one to the left is Tina.

This was one of my favorite teachers...I don't remember what subject or his name.

This was my friend and neighbor Debbie Couch. We got into a fist fight one time (I don't remember why...just a lot of hair pulling, mostly my hair being pulled, and fists swinging). The funny thing is that we became fast friends afterward.





Don't remember him




This is me eating my yummy PB&J that my mother made for me,

Group of boys I probably had a crush on one or more of them.

Some of my friends...Colleen Palmer, Elsa Reynaga (or something like that) and unknown person behind the book.

I must have had a crush on him as I have a couple of pictures with him in them.{dig those pants ;o) }

Blast to the Past Photo of the Week/Happy Birthday Joey

We just celebrated Joey's 26th birthday....I can't believe how fast the time has gone. This picture was taken just yesterday! Joey was about five months old here. Now we are just having a grand old time playing with his babies.

Blast to the Past Photo of the Week/Happy Birthday Kellie

Last night we celebrated Kellie's birthday...#24. Can you believe how fast the time has gone by. This is a picture of Kellie's first birthday, her first taste of cake (and frosting). She did a great job considering she only had two teeth.

Blast to the Past Photo of the Week

Here is this week's Blast to the Past Photo of the Week with Joey, Kellie, and Rebecca sitting on the lap of Santa (Uncle Joe) at a ward party about 21 years ago.

Tons of Grandma Kisses

These pictures were taken on my Birthday. I got to get kisses from all of my grandbabies. What more could a person ask for. Pure heaven. I try to get as much as I can when I can. You never know if or when one (or more) of them might move across the country. Kellie and Scott are preparing for law school and that possibly means far far away. Rebecca and Kelly have been threatening to move far away too. So, I try to get as many kisses as I can.

Five Generations

One of the fun things that I got to do on my birthday last week was to go visit Grandma Virginia. We got to take this great five generation picture. Five generations of women. We are so fortunate to be able to be together to take this picture. Grandma Virginia is one of the most beautiful women I know. That really made my day.

Last Game of the Season

(Sam, Becca and Baby Madeline)

Well. the season is over. We started out doing great, Sam made 13 touchdowns this season. Sam started the season playing both JV and Varsity but half way throught the season he was made starting running back for the varsity so he had to give up JV. I loved watching him play JV so we were sad to go to only one game a week. Over all it was a big improvement from last year. Between JV and Varsity, we had 8 wins. Lots of fun! Now Sam can rest for a while and have a life other than football. Thanks Sam for a fun Season!

Erika and Sam

Vincent and Sam


Sam and Chris (Hope you play next year Chris)

Coach Couey and the Junior All American Gang

Most of these guys are seniors...so it was their very last game.

Sam and his good buddies

Sam and good buddy Austin



Two of Sam's biggest fans

Blast to the Past - Photo of the Week

I was cleaning out a closet this week and came across a ton of pictures. It's hard to get work done when you are wanting to take a stroll down memory lane. I decided to dedicat a picture a week from the past. So this is the first. This photo was taken almost 30 years ago (can you believe that I am admitting this?) Any way, this was taken at the prom my junior year. Michael had already graduated. Dig those white gloves and that dress! It looks like a glorified potatoe sack.

Tide Pools

Today we took a field trip to the Corona Del Mar tide pools. It was a perfect day for it. It was low tide when we go there so we were able to see lots of little sea creatures. We made it a family affair, Michael, Scott, Kellie, Esther, Rebecca, Madeline, Aaron and Zachary were all there with me. The tide pools is one of my favorite places to be. I just love it.

Later we all went to the Crab Cooker in Balboa for lunch....oooh they make the best clam chowder with warm shepheard's bread. Yummmy!

Safe from the Fires

Here is our cabin up in Fawnskin. The fire came close to Fawnskin but you can't see the burn from our cabin or from our little town. We took a drive around the bend and was able to snap some pictures from the burn area before we got kick out by the fire authority. I feel so bad for all those who weren't so lucky this past fire storm.

Roggin's Heroes

Check out this link...Marina's football play of the week.


Roggin's Heroes

"Becca....is this yo baby?"

Ada asked Becca if this was here baby...she said "She's soooo cuuuute!"

We went to Disneyland last week for a "field trip", we met Christina, Ada and Calvin there...we had a great time and little Madeline enjoyed it too.

Football Season

It's football season again and things are going quite well for Sam. It's not so crazy this year for me because Aaron decided not to play this year but is planning to start up again next year. Sam is playing both JV and Varsity. The JV team us undefeated, 4-0, and the Varsity is 2-2. These pictures were taken after Marina beat Westminster's Varsity. Sam was real happy. That is him standing with his darling girlfriend, Erika. The whole family had a great time that night.

I Can't Believe I Missed All of September!

I can't believe that I haven't blogged in a whole month. Things have been so busy. I started home schooling Aaron and that takes up a lot of time. We are having fun though. Today we went on a field trip to Olvera Street in LA. I haven't been there since I went in elementary school. It's a lot smaller than I remember. We ate at Felippe's down the street from Olvera St. They serve these fantastic frech dip sandwiches. I had a Lamb Dip with bleu cheese on it. MMMMM was that yummy!

Here is a little sample of our entertainment.

Olvera Street from Haircutmom on Vimeo.