Merrily we camp along!

The time for the Tanner family annual campout rolled around again this weekend. I managed to make the drive out past Rush Valley on less than 3 hours sleep. Luckily there was plenty of time for a nice nap in the afternoon after tents were set up and lunch was consumed.

Interesting tidbits from our outing:

~My air mattress is too big for my tent! I have a 2 person tent and a queen sized ultra tall air mattress....the zipper wouldn't close. Thank heavens for over prepared cousins who had an extra tent!

~Swings over streams are great fun. Next time, we need to be there early enough to reserve that camping spot!

~My baby brother Sam may be 16, but he is just a big kid and all the little kids think he is the BOMB!

~Tom and Margo are so cute! Of course, I did already know that.

~Air mattresses always end up on a hill. And you always wake up squished up to the person sharing the air mattress with you.

~There are many different ways to cook with Dutch ovens. I think we used most of them on breakfast this morning.

~If you are bending over the hot ashes of a fire when someone decides to douse them in water, you will be coated in ash and tasting it for hours!

~I miss the stars! There's nothing like being out in the country with a pitch black sky to see the stars by the millions. Sara looked up and said, "The stars make shapes!! I can see a monkey!" It was a fun moment, just Sara, me, and the stars.

~Kids can get filthy dirty faster than it takes me to type that.

~There are actually places where I do not get cell phone service. Both a blessing and a curse!

~There's nothing like a flushing toilet and hot shower to make you feel fresh and clean.

~I love camping. I'd love to go every weekend I'm free.

Oh, a sidenote for those following my Grandma's progress... We went and visited her in her SNF (skilled nursing facility) today. She looked like Grandma again, just a bit confused and weak. It was good to see her looking like herself again. Tom, my cousin Spencer, and I all have sets of keys to Grandma's house now and will be checking up on things regularly as well as picking up mail that her neighbor's will collect for her. I don't know how long term her skilled nursing care needs will last, but she won't be able to live alone again. *sigh* :(

I'm going camping in the morning!

My sleep schedule is officially completely screwed up. Between all the stress and craziness of this last week and working nights, my body has gone crazy! Do I sleep at night? Do I sleep during the day? Do I even sleep at all? Even though I'm currently exhausted and only slept until 2 pm today after working last night, I'm wide awake!! I need to sleep....I have to be up early to pack up my car!!!

Anyone want to sing me to sleep?!

Happy Memorial Day!

Kate

The rain was falling fast and furious today. Perhaps in memoriam of those loved ones we remember and honor on this day?

Kate and I visited the graves of our sister, Gwendolyn and our Grandpa M. Patrice and Marissa visited the graves of our Grandpa S., Uncle Matt and Great-Uncle Delbert. We all took bouquets made from the gorgeous yard of our Grandma. By the time we were finished, we were all soaked.

Kate decided to stick around this evening and return to Rexburg tomorrow. Partially due to the rain and partially due to the fact that Dad, Sam, and Tom were returning this evening. A family dinner/game night was decided upon and the guys and Marissa came over.

I tried out a new recipe and whipped up Honey Ginger pork chops, sticky rice and steamed green beans. It was a hit and delicious.

Marissa decided that she had the perfect game for all of us and taught us to play 'Captions'. It is a hilarious game that is sort of a cross between Pictionary and Telephone (aka Telegraph). Somehow the phrase 'hobbits have hairy feet' got changed to 'I bagged a baby bigfoot in an egg' and so on. Great fun for all!! Even Dad got into it.

It was so nice to have tonight and the peaceful relief and comeraderie it brought. We need more days like this.

Grandma

Today appears to be an excellent day for birdwatching in my neighborhood. As I pulled into my parking spot, returning home from work, I spotted a pretty sight. A couple of brilliant yellow birds, the likes of which were unknown to me, flitted past and settled in a nearby tree. It seems the rain lures out even the most elusive of the winged creatures. On my deck there is a nesting pair of birds, probably a type of sparrows. They have created a mud nest settled onto the light. Birds are amazing creatures...and so beautiful.

A week ago last night, my grandmother fell at home. Apparently she had been quite confused for several days. A few years ago, my aunt had signed my grandmother up for an emergency response system. Grandma was wearing her emergency button around her neck, but did not push it as she didn't want to go to the hospital. Some time Monday, an aide that helps Grandma with household chores found her lying on her kitchen floor. With the assistance of Grandma's part time nurse, they helped her to bed.

After a day of running lab work, and Grandma's increasing confusion and refusal to eat or drink, she was admitted to the hospital. When I awoke Tuesday afternoon/evening and prepared to go to work, I had two panicked phone messages...from my aunt in New York and my Dad in Missouri. At the time, I was the only family in the valley and I was needed. Thank heavens for kind, understanding charge nurses.

I spent Tuesday night at the bedside of my Grandma. My brother, Tom, zipped up from Provo and spent several hours at Grandma's bedside with me, giving her a blessing of peace and healing before he left. Patrice, my aunt, and Marissa, my cousin, flew immediately from New York and arrived about 1 a.m. Patrice sat at the bedside with me the remainder of the night.

After several hours sleep, I returned to the hospital in the early evening and sent Patrice home to sleep. Once again, I stayed at Grandma's bedside, calming and soothing and trying to make sense of her muddled conversation. When I knew Grandma was calm and relaxed and sleeping I left to get more sleep (around 2 a.m.).

Wednesday night also heralded the arrival of my dad and youngest brother, Sam. A farming conference in California was the original purpose of their trip, but they also were here to see Grandma. When I arrived at her bedside on Thursday with my Dad, Tom and Sam in tow, Grandma was in fine form. She was completely paranoid and convinced that we, as a family, were conspiring against her. Having worked with elderly people with dementia for many years, I knew not to take her ramblings seriously and not to argue with her. My poor Dad, though, I think felt quite hurt by the accusations. I tried to explain to him the state Grandma was in and I hope he at least kind of understood.

Friday, I tried to catch up on housework, grocery shopping, laundry, etc. My Dad and brothers left for California and my sister, Kate, came down from Idaho for the weekend.

Saturday, Kate and I visited Grandma. Her mental status had much improved, but her poor little old tired body isn't in the best of shape. She has several bad pressure sores from laying on the kitchen floor for so long, old unhealed fractures in her spine, her lungs are a little wet, and she is showing every single one of her nearly 89 years.

Yesterday, Sunday, after church Kate and I stopped by Grandma's hospital room briefly with a gift of ice cream. She had moved from the ICU to a regular hospital room, but it looks like a long haul from here. Her body is healing slowly, but to all appearances, the independence she has heretoforth know cannot go on. She can no longer live alone. Her days of free flight are gone and she is a caged bird. To what extent, it remains to be seen. Nonetheless, it is a truly sad day.

We love you Grandma and hope you get better soon! Never give up your fighting spirit! You are in our prayers and thoughts!

The fun has wound down

Back in the mountains

Do I look tired of travelling?
Sin City! Las Vegas

Our rental car
Tricia gopher
Wild Animal Park
Cute cubs
Whose tongue is longer?

Storm on the way, but still beautiful!
Tandem kites
San Diego temple

Old Town San Diego

Going on vacation only to get sick is the pits! About the time we hit the 30ish degree weather the other day, my asthma started kicking in and I started coughing. Along with the inability to breathe through my nose, I now wheeze and hack. The kind doctor at Instacare (apparently my entire Dr.'s office has headed off to some convention this week!) gave me meds and told me to take the weekend off work.

The good thing to all this was the fact that I finally had a Friday night free. Friday nights are game nights at my Grandma M.'s house. I haven't been able to go for a few months, but last night I went and played and just had a good time (good while medicated, that is).

It took 6 CD's to burn all my pics and videos from the trip! Guess there should be at least one or two really good ones there!

Home...sweet home?!

After a day at Sea World, another at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Old Town San Diego, we came home today. BRRRRR!

Yesterday, San Diego started to cool down a bit and by the evening, it was in the lower 60's. This trend continued and followed us northeast. By the time we reached the middle of Utah, we were hitting temperatures in the 30's and SNOW!!!! One nice week of 90+ weather and back we returned to winter?

I was quite prolific in my picture taking this week and have discovered my laptop's picture holding capacity. There are approximately 300 pictures sitting on my camera, just waiting for me to make space for them. I plan to make CD's of all the pics both for myself and for Stacey and Tricia. Just one more project for tomorrow....along with unpacking, laundry, getting souvenirs to my girls, and catching up on the latest with Tammy and Shelly.

Hm, a couple other tidbits on our trip. I got voted the 'annoying little sister' (first time for everything! ....and I was informed that 'annoying' isn't always bad and is quite relative!), Tricia was our 'Mommy' and Stacey was the 'annoying big sister'.

Did I mention that somewhere along the way on our trip, I caught a doozy of a cold? What a downer for a vacation!!! Oh well, I just kept plodding on and self medicating and managed to still have fun.

I discovered on Monday that I had a ton of red bumps all over my arms where they had been exposed to the sun/ sunburnt. It was quite itchy and I thought maybe I had heat rash. By Tuesday, I discovered that I was wrong....they were BLISTERS! I haven't burnt so badly in years! And only once before in my life. I'm just glad it was just on my arms, not on my back, legs, face, etc.

I got two separate exciting calls while on my trip. My sister Amethyst is getting married on August 5 in Missouri and my brother Tom is getting married July 29 in Oklahoma! I'm so excited for them and for getting to see my whole family this summer!!! Now, only to get ppl. to take shifts for me...

Did I mention that I'm tired and I'm wasting time so that I won't feel so guilty about not unpacking right now? Ok, maybe I'll unpack some of it. *Sigh*

Pictures are pending...based on when I can upload them.

Still trippin'

One of my favorite shots, the sun was setting over the beach in Santa Monica.

The following pics are in no particular order.

This is me, at the beach, with the sun behind me.
Our sand 'nest'.
Isn't it beautiful?
Stacey and Tricia enjoying our nest
Stacey and me.

Los Angeles Temple.
Sun setting over the ocean in LA.
My footprints, about to be washed away.
Stacey and I, riding the waves.
Enjoying the sun.

Whoville.
Psycho house.
Set from War of the Worlds.
Jaws shark.
Universal City street.

Disneyland entrance.
These two are for you, Jon!!

The escalator at Universal Studios, looking out at the studios.
Jurassic Park ride.

In Disneyland.
Splash Mountain.
Chip and Dale and us!
Disneyland castle
Universal Studios

After our first night at Anaheim, we discovered that we no longer had an internet connection. We aren't sure where it went other than 'away'. Anyhow, to make a long story muy abbreviated, Disneyland was fun. We rode lots of rides, met lots of Disney characters, bought lots of souvenirs, got lots of sun and had tons of fun.

Yesterday, we went to Universal Studios, rode a couple of rides, took the backlot studio tour, got lots more sun and had fun. After we left US, we took the scenic route through Hollywood. We drove past Rodeo Drive and saw the Los Angeles Temple :). After much traffic and several miscalculations, we FINALLY arrived at a beach right at sunset. It was GORGEOUS!!! With the lateness of the hour, we only stayed at the beach for a bit.

Today we drove to San Diego, attempting to take the scenic route. With all of the highways in CA, it was interesting. We made it to our next hotel safely and were informed that we definitely did have wireless internet in the room. YAY!!

This afternoon we hit the beach. Stacey and I alternated body surfing and sunning while Tricia sunned herself. It was truly AWESOME!!! We are all thoroughly brown with a red overtone. After having a bite to eat when we got back to the hotel, we crashed in the hot tub for a few. What the life!