OK, OK..... It's been awhile.....

I am fine, we are all fine.  Phil is now under 180 lbs. which is GGGGRRREAATT!  A mere shadow of himself.  I have posted pictures on my kodakgallery webpage but I'll try to remember to add to this site before I sign off.

I am still in the low 160s and feeling good except when my fibromyalgia flares.  I am truly better than I deserve, that's for sure!!

Dylan is doing well in school this year.  His teacher, Mrs. Stewart, followed her class from 3rd to 4th grade so it was not a big adjustment at the beginning of the year.  Fourth grade expects more from him, mostly more self-control and accountability.  Dylan still goes to his after school program 4 days a week where he continues to cope with his social and peer relationship problems.

Veronica had her 3rd and last child on September 19th.  His name is Matthew Marcus Ebel.  Dad's 1st name is Marcus.  Matthew has done well so far and only had a little jaundice - not enough to do anything about.  In his early pictures, Matthew just looks like he has a bit of a tan!

Roni and Mark are planning on getting married on November 7th.  First marriage for both.  It will provide more stability for all concerned.

Alexis, who is now in the 1st grade, is doing well.  She is a chatterbox.  She is learning to listen better and is getting good marks.  Alexis loves being a "big sister and is a lot of help to her Mom and Dad.

Amanda and Loren are still in the Bahamas.  Amanda is the head of the dive program at Small Hope Bay Resort on Andros.  She is fulfilling her dream.  No financial responsibilities, no kids and they dives twice a day, 5 days a week.  I am planning on going down to visit for a few days in March.

I have begun to ride the H-D on my own.  I rode around our immediate area for about an hour today.  I practiced everything from shifting gears to panic stops and riding in some traffic.  I have my permit, of course.  I passed the written the first time out.  I'll take the road test in the Spring.  I am going to try to get a couple more rides in before we have to put it up for the winter.

Winter......  We are expecting some snow in the next 10 days.  It shouldn't stick, at least I don't expect it to.....  Our sprinklers are blown out and shut off, our hoses are put away and our trees are losing there leaves.  Night time temps have been in the 20s.  We had a blower put in our fireplace and are going to insulate the crawl space, especially over our bedroom.

Well, that is my update

IT IS STILL SNOWING!!!

It is still snowing.......  Slowing down but still coming down....  We got 1 1/2 inches over night.  Today, it has rained, sleeted, graupeled (meteorological term for soft hail) and snowed. It has been around 34 degrees today but last Saturday and Sunday it was 70-72.  Like they say:  If you don't like the weather in N. Idaho, wait 10 minutes.

Mandy and Loren have signed on for an 18 month commitment as Dive Instructors at a resort in the Bahamas.  The place is called Small Hope Bay Lodge and it's on the island of Andor.  Andor is a 15 min. flight by private aircraft or a 2 1/2 hour boat ride from Nassau.  What can I say?  It's the Bahamas.

Communication with Mandy and Loren has been difficult due to trouble with the island satellite internet connection and I guess there are few phones at the resort,  I'm such a Mom.  I finally called the resort and was able to get Mandy and talk to her briefly.  

Now, that I know they arrived safely on the island, I can exhale.  I am not a "no news is good news" person. There is no wireless internet so they are waiting for a computer connection to be put in their room.... 

I don't have too many details about the job but the resort has a website at

www.smallhope.com.  The website has beautiful pictures.

Roni's pregnancy is going well.  We don't know boy or girl yet but there are things I can do or buy.  Mark is protective and Roni is tired.  All very typical.

I will post more pictures from the pro season as soon as I pick them up and scan them in to the computer.

More later.

A Short Two Weeks

The two weeks of Manndy and Loren here is coming to an end way too soon!  we have had a GREAT time.  Mandy has done alot of reading, scrapbooking and going through old childhood pictures.  Both Mandy and Loren experienced heavy snow for the very first time.  We took tons of pictures.  I will post all when I have time.

Roni, mark and Alexis are coming over for a farewell dinner tonight.  I will post more as I have time. 

It Is Still Snowing

Happy Spring!  It is still snowing.  Great big, fluffy, snowflakes.  It is not sticking to the roadways but it is covering the cars and the grass.  It will melt before the end of the day.  It is cold and breezy but the nice weather is just around the corner....

I am going to be a grandmother again.  Roni and Mark or pregnant.  This will be Roni's 3rd baby and probably her last.  The due date is kind of up in the air until Roni's first ultrasound on March 28th.  Roni has felt some movement and they were able to hear the ONE heartbeat.   I am guessing around early to mid October.  Mark is on cloud nine as this is his 1st child.  He is hoping for a BOY!

Mandy and Loren are almost done with everything having to do with diving at Neptune's in Manzanillo.  They have employment offers in the Bahamas for a couple and Mandy has aan offer in Cancun with prospects for employment for Loren.  They are coming home first and may make a trip here as well.......

We are making progress on the floor in the kitchen.  We are hoping to have flooring laid in the next 10 days or so with finish carpentry to follow quickly.  I want a floor, I want rid of the mess and I want my house back!

Much love to all!

It's been a couple of weeks

Well, it's been a couple of weeks.....  We still have quite a bit of accumulated snow but it is disappearing FAST!  We have been in the high 40s the last couple of days with bright sunshine.

As the weather continues to warm, we hear more and more bikes.  Just one or two, here and there, but, summer is coming!  We are getting our very own H-D dealership in Coeur d' Alene. The new dealership is Lone Wolf Harley Davidson.  It can be seen from I-90 which is one of the major coast-to-coast highways.  I-90 gets alot of Sturgis traffic so it will be interesting!  We have Shumate in Spokane and now Lone Wolf in Cd'A but my heart still belongs to Gary Bang Harley-Davidson in Atascadero, CA.  Hi, y'all!!!!

No new kitchen floor yet.  Waiting on insurance company.  It shouldn't be too much longer.  I will be glad to have my Subzero out of my dining room and my dining room table out of my livingroom.  I want a real floor to walk on!  It has been aan eventful 2008 so far.....

Love to all!!!

Spring Is Almost Here!!!

No new kitchen floor yet but we do have something to look forward too,,,,,,SPRING!!!  The last few days have been sunny.  We are still in the high 30s but at least the sun is out!  

We may have a day of snow here and there through mid-March but nothing that will stick. That is good considering we still have 3 feet of compact snow on the ground and piles of it everywhere!  Environmental concerns now prevent the cities from dumping snow in the lakes so they find vacant lots and fields to pile it in.  Our ski areas will have great skiing through at least June.

Mandy is in the midst of her IDC training.  IDC training is a grueling 2 weeks of 14 hour days, studying at night and functioning on 4 hrs. sleep a night.  She finishes next Sunday.

Loren, Mandy's boyfriend, lost his Dad to cancer February 15.  Currently, Loren is home in San Marcos and he was able to spend quality time with his Dad before Heavenly Father called him home.  Our deepest, heartfelt sympathies go out to the entire Esposito family during this time of great sorrow.  To Frank we say "God Speed".  

Loren will return to Manzanillo to finish out his training.  We expect both Mandy and Loren to return to the States mid-March.

All else is as usual.......  My weight has stabilized at 165.  Phil is doing well and we are waiting for authorization for his gastric bypass.  Lots of red tape.

Well, that is all that is fit to print.

I hope everyone is well. 

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!!

Hi everyone!

We're back in the house.  We spent 4 nights in a Holiday Inn because the fans being used to dry out the kitchen were intolerable and the kitchen was unusable.  I walked around with my shooting ear protectors on for 2 days until the pressure on the sides of my head gave me a MASSIVE  headache.  Dylan wore a pair too but basically stayed in his room with the door shut. Poor kid!  We were came to the house daily to check on things, let workmen in and plow the driveway and returned permanently on Friday.  Even nice motel rooms get really small with 3 people and only one TV!

Holiday Inn in Hayden is attached to an indoor amusement park/waterslide park.  Although we didn't use the waterslide park, the arcade provided some distraction......  Dylan loves the Chuck-the-Cheese kind of games!  The food is horrible and outrageously expensive, but, you expect that from a tourist attraction.  Actually, when I am being robbed I'd rather have someone stick a gun in my back!

Over the last 2 weeks we have had more than 3 feet of snow!  It is gorgeous but what a pain!  We have wonderful neighbors who all help each other but you get tired of dealing with it after awhile.  Although it has been the biggest winter for us, I am told this is just a little more than normal!   We have at least 6 more weeks no matter what the groundhog in PA says!!!

Mandy is officially a Divemaster!  She passed her Divemaster exams on Monday and has one more level to go!  She will be in Mexico until at least mid-April.  Her e-mail is hamsterranger@gmail.com.  You can use this email to go to her MySpace.com page and look at her pictures.

Well, I have some housecleaning and laundry to catch up on!  More later with some new pictures!