Let's Go Beavs!....

Home opener tonight vs. Utah . . . Welcome Back tailgate buddies! We have missed you!! Hey throw a couple burgers on the grill we will be to Corvallis shortly!!

Time for cake . . .

We went out to dinner last night to celebrate Mom's upcoming birthday on Thursday. Had a nice time at one of our favorite places, McMenamin's Cornelius Pass Roadhouse Pub. It's located in Hillsboro and alot of Intel employees stop by there after work or for lunch. We were sort of making fun of this group of computer "geeks" sitting at a table near us. They had their laptops and paperwork spread all over while they were sipping their brews and eating. Only to find out later...they weren't doing work...they were working on their fantasy football picks...oh my gosh, what a process, it's gone laptop now, multiple laptops!! Anyway, Mom's birthday celebration was bumped up a couple days since we are going down to Corvallis on Thursday for the Beavers' football season opener!! Then packing for a long weekend at Lake Billy Chinook...AND today is also Danielle's birthday!! Happy Birthday Dani!!

I just want shampoo . .

The shampoo business is a scam...period. When walking down the shampoo & conditioner aisle at the local store I began to hyperventilate. Why you ask?...this is why....well you have your shampoo for oily hair, fine hair, colored or treated hair, frizzy hair, dry hair, normal hair (tell me what is normal hair?), hair with dandruff, shampoo with conditioner, shampoo without conditioner, shampoo that costs $1.25/bottle and shampoo that costs $7.50/bottle, gentle shampoo to use daily, does that mean other shampoo is not so gentle...Who is the person that says, "Oh no..this shampoo is way to rough, it cannot be classified as gentle." What happens when you have a combination of the above "hair" issues (ie. fine hair that is color treated)?...do you buy multiple bottles of stuff....no! of course not....you pick your most dominant hair problem ..right?? Why does it have to be so difficult?? Why is it that when I buy the same size bottles of shampoo and conditioner...I always run out of conditioner first?? Why do they tell me on the bottle that "this product was not tested on any animals" Am I suppose to feel good about that?? So you are telling me that it's OK for us to use but not animals??...I don't get it. I think Mr. Prell, Ms. Pert, The Pantene Family, the Johnson and Johnson's along with the L'Oreal's should get together at the Herbal Essence retreat center and hash this out. All I can say is that I am very happy the shampoo aisle is directly across the from the extra-strength Tylenol counter, because I am gonna need a bottle . . .

693 is the place to be . . .

The move back to Monmouth happened this weekend for the beginning of Andy's sophomore year at WOU. Andy and his friend from high school Garrett are moving into a house this year instead of the dorms. They have another guy also moving in so rent will be really reasonable ($275/mo). The house is actually pretty nice for the price. A convenient walk to the Mini-Mart, Burgerville, BiMart and A&W, so what more could you want. After dropping a load off at the house on Friday night we took a tour. It's funny to see the first things that go up in a "guys" place. First ... the big TV in the front room, hooked up to the Playstation (done), posters of Coors twins holding beers strategically across their chests (done), beer pong table setup in garage <:/ & inappropriate signs hanging in the garage (done), opened the refrigerator to check it out (Mom's do that) contents include: Mt. Dew, bottled water and of course, beer. I was glad to at least see they all have desks in their own rooms (probably to throw me off). Andy does have one police officer buddy (heehee) in town, the one who gave him a ticket for a Uturn last year (which he proudly got out of by taking it to court). Maybe he will be stopping by for a beer one night :), since he LOVES college kids so much..uhhh not so much.. So as he begins another year with more classes, studying, parties and working parttime during school......we can only wish him the best and count down the months until June.

Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork......

This week it began......the tradition that happens this week in every high school in Oregon...fall sports daily doubles. Even though we inform kids and parents that we are in the office all summer so they can turn in forms early, Even though we now have all of our athletic packets online so they can be printed in the convenience of their own home, Even though coaches remind them all during summer camps to get their forms turned in early to avoid the last minute rush ..it still happens....Monday I had ...ooohhhhhhh..I'd say a line of student athletes no less than 35 at any given time from 6:30am to about 4:00pm to turn in their paperwork for either football, volleyball, boys soccer, girls soccer, cross country, waterpolo, cheer and danceteam. Each with their participation forms in their sweaty little hands, 30% of them will have a missing signature someplace on one of their forms, that will send them into a tizzy when I have to tell them ..."You have to have your parent sign this before you can practice today"..."WHAT Mrs. C..that's no good, my Mom/Dad just dropped me off!"...."Sorry...no can do"......"FINE!!!" stomp off....huffhuff...come back after calling parent on cell phone...more huffhuff...."They will be right back"...parent comes in grabs forms...signs...makes huffhuff noise (just like son/daughter).....NICE...I love my job :)...have a good day, it's all about the kids :) ..... I hear it daily...kids blame parent...parent blames kid... I just smile and say..."Thanks for coming back to sign...now they can practice"....after processing nearly 400 kids in 2 days with a huge stack of paperwork on my desk to check grades, transfers, homeschoolers, class loads, I can finally say......Have a great season kids and GO VIKS!!!!!!

Time for an upgrade . . .

Our house was built in the 70's..ranchstyle..we like it. It's time though to get rid of the old storm windows and replace them. We have chosen vinyl windows with the grid pattern in them. So this weekend construction begins! Old windows out...new windows in, should all be done in one day (so they tell us). Then hubby is going to replace all the inside moldings and casings himself, he likes doing all that kind of woodwork. It's unbelievable what they charge for something like this..we could go on a cruise for 8 days with the cost of replacing them, but we will get a tax credit and be able to see clearly out of our new windows :) I'm sure they will look great when they are all installed and trim painted.......but I'd really rather go on a cruise.

I have new skills. . . . .

But, I am losing them since I've been back home....hmmmmmm.....how embarrassing to buy a Playstation when I have no kids at home anymore....but how will I ever advance from Easy to Medium.!!! I better checkout Craigslist...so I can rock on!!

Heading home . . .

We head back to Oregon this evening...we have had a wonderful time with the kids and our new grandson. He has grown so much just in the short amount of time we have been here. Can't hardly wait to see him again when they come to town in October. So I guess it's back to the real world on Monday.

Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona!

Don't ever let me complain about how hot it is in Oregon ever again!! Today 114 degrees...and yes it's dry heat.....but 114 is 114..end of story.

Seeing our first grandson has been wonderful! He is such a good baby..not fussy..only cries when there is a reason. It's so great to see how Chad and Nicole have instantly become such great parents. Dale and I are planning a little overnight trip tomorrow and driving up to the Grand Canyon (it's where we spent our wedding anniversary 31 years ago). We are also going to be making a side trip to Sedona on the way home Tuesday. Then back here to be with baby until Saturday. Our time here is flying by quickly and we have taken so many pictures I might have to get more space for my computer (definately) !! ....Oh..I think Lucas is calling Grama..gotta go . . more news later!!
P.S. Grampa has not been too much of a baby hog..he has been sharing :)

Heading to Arizona . . . .

Blogging will be minimal the next couple weeks as we are taking off to see our grandbaby in Phoenix, Arizona. I may be able to log onto my son's computer and enter something while Grampa is hogging the baby (yeah, I know that's what he's going to do!). Perhaps I will bring a stop watch so we get equal time, otherwise it simply won't be fair. While we are in Arizona, Andy packs up and heads back to Monmouth moving into a house this year as he returns to Western Oregon University. So it will be back to the two of us at home again....unless of course I sneak baby Lucas home with us...sssshhhhhh!!

Never fails . . . .

Hubby and I went to visit the Indians this weekend....yes...we went to Chinook Winds casino. We are celebrating our 31st anniversary and courtesy of a very nice boss I have, spent the night at the Resort next to the casino. So we wandered over after checking in at the hotel..to try our luck. We are not big spenders by any means. We are your basic penny, nickel and sometimes quarter machine people. When we enter the casino we separate..it's all part of the strategy. Neither one of us wants to bring bad luck to the other, by sitting next to, or hovering over the other (I know it's weird, but hey, it works sometimes). We have new numbers to try this time for KENO...we try new grandson's birthday and our years of marriage...it didn't win us a jackpot, but we broke even. So I get seated at a machine that looks lucky...I start playing away..thinking I'm hot stuff because I have hit a few bonuses and BANG..the gal next to me hits a BIG jackpot....security comes, some head honcho from the casino comes, she signs papers... all the while I smile at her, but am truly steaming inside, "why couldn't that have been me????"...so I continue to play....bells and whistles go off again!!! the same lady hits ANOTHER jackpot on the same machine...arrrghhhhh!!! more security, more papers signed...I DON"T smile this time.....I decide I need to move to another machine...then my luck will get better....yes..it has to get better!!

He's finally here!. . . . .

It's official we are now grandparents! After listening to the final moments of delivery over our son's cell phone from Phoenix, AZ through our speaker phone (you have to love technology), we heard the beautiful sound of our grandsons first cry! It was everybit as good as being there..without being there. Dale and I just looked at each other with tears running down our checks hearing his "What the hell is all this about?" cry to the room...it was wonderful. Just as you can never completely describe the feeling of your children being born, can you explain the complete bliss in becoming a grandparent for the first time! So welcome to the world little Lucas!

Thursday, August 2nd at 7:28pm weighing in at 6lbs, 14oz, 19 1/2 inches, with lots of hair is Lucas Clifford.

Boy are you gonna love our family!!!

We are READY TO GO August 30!!!

Section 16 ..Row 2...Seats 8 & 9 ....WE'LL BE THERE !! GO BEAVERS HAVE A GREAT SEASON!

It sold..it sold..it sold!!!

I did it...I broke down and sold something on Ebay....My Liddle Kiddles Klub House (1965) and Collectors book. I have had this tucked away for quite awhile, but during the garage sale I got it out and decided to get rid of it. I tried to sell them together at the garage sale for $40.00. Nobody even made an offer. Alot of ladies said, "Oh I remember these", or "I use to have these", but nobody was in the mood to buy. So I listed it on Ebay for $30.00..thinking that would cover my costs & it looked like it's worth that in the collectors book, plus I would be rid of it... Well, bidding started immediately...every day I would check..$30, $33, $38, $40, $47....oh my gosh..that silly dollhouse sold for $89!!! it's crazy!!! Now I think maybe I should have tried to sell it for more.....arrrghhhhh...see it plays games with your head!!! I just hope it makes some little girl or collector very happy (or probably more $$ in a resale).....now what can I bid on with my PayPal $$$....maybe some spice tins...oh oh......