tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89593423755075245992023-11-15T22:58:42.006-08:00Tales from ColoradoLenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-77136261388339855992009-09-07T16:41:00.000-07:002009-09-07T18:54:54.527-07:00A Camping the Ryans Will Go!!!!The weekend after the Corn Festival, we all decided to go on a camping weekend together. (Unfortunately, Lori wasn't able to join us that weekend, but we are looking forward to seeing her next weekend when we will go on our last camping trip of the season!) We hadn't gone camping with Joe and Jen since Juliana was about a year old and James was three! <br /><br />After having seen our pictures from our camping trip to Woods Lake in July, they quickly decided that that was where they wanted to go.....beautiful scenery and a good fishing lake! What could be better? They don't have a lot of camping stuff, so we told them we'd try to make it as easy for them as possible. They did buy a tent, so they did have their own "home". We took two camp spots, side by side....we staked our "claim" in our "regular spot" as we've now camped at the same site three times! We really like it there. Joe and Jen pitched their tent in the adjoining spot, but other than sleeping there, they were with us at our site all the time. We cooked and ate together and had campfires both nights together. <br /><br />During the daytime, Dusty and Joe took the kids fishing up at the lake and Jen and I hung back at the campsite, visiting and taking care of little Jack. All of the kids did so well that weekend. Camping can be intimidating for young ones, when you take them out of their familiar surroundings, but they all really seemed to enjoy themselves! Even Jack enjoyed watching the breeze blow through the leaves and played contently in his "pack and play". The highlight of the weekend was that both Juliana and JT caught their very first fish! And so now the fishing excitement goes into the next generation of the Ryan clan!!!<br /><br />Here are some pictures from the weekend......<br /><br />Our little man, JT...all bundled up in the morning. It really wasn't all that cold!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzfTXA78hCoZSNt2JyIi7Mr72udPU8TVC0E_Mwm_d1hYvOWp_ltHTaRViRpqdeSUSllq2eyauYxybjou-VcwFkRnbUqnMqyn8DrVGKwfQ0GAjyOlewbSbUBUetmc4hSk-3ci6fWPbB7M/s1600-h/IMG_1069.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzfTXA78hCoZSNt2JyIi7Mr72udPU8TVC0E_Mwm_d1hYvOWp_ltHTaRViRpqdeSUSllq2eyauYxybjou-VcwFkRnbUqnMqyn8DrVGKwfQ0GAjyOlewbSbUBUetmc4hSk-3ci6fWPbB7M/s400/IMG_1069.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883714593565090" /></a><br /><br />Jen with Jack<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkPKmzzlvCTMVGLu9WUDQIJhNQh99grcveb2GS_KgCHxWCFk2jX3LaUf3y-QwNwa-JfC26rFIOEaaEoxyKf5bAj6SHXdX6tbeSnd_8AK2zKNgunCZ6R5fQeN_k-vdvFAf-jOKBRLjY0k/s1600-h/IMG_1070.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkPKmzzlvCTMVGLu9WUDQIJhNQh99grcveb2GS_KgCHxWCFk2jX3LaUf3y-QwNwa-JfC26rFIOEaaEoxyKf5bAj6SHXdX6tbeSnd_8AK2zKNgunCZ6R5fQeN_k-vdvFAf-jOKBRLjY0k/s400/IMG_1070.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883708154741794" /></a><br /><br />Juliana with her very first fish! Yeah, Jules!! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0zR7wcbpz1JcKKS-63anKQgNwX5iUW_lAsEoi9Ll4nVx0htCWFmIs4E9QDpSpDgWadF_0XzKo9iBYMWsOQ0fKN1_deJBzEc1VU1NsHuyecVINDoPVCFcDAj0GCVDdrPGqui4TKZ3Sf0/s1600-h/IMG_1073.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0zR7wcbpz1JcKKS-63anKQgNwX5iUW_lAsEoi9Ll4nVx0htCWFmIs4E9QDpSpDgWadF_0XzKo9iBYMWsOQ0fKN1_deJBzEc1VU1NsHuyecVINDoPVCFcDAj0GCVDdrPGqui4TKZ3Sf0/s400/IMG_1073.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883367376485762" /></a><br /><br />Jen got matching fleece jackets for all of the boys and a girl's version for Juliana! We couldn't miss out on this photo op!!! So cute!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGZWY1P2ecXHC5rTkLzgKMaquQ-emC7SX8OT1BRyn-cIzdcUn1-ROr6T0mIg4WqhQ1hsZrShe95dXw78Us7j0rHqJ4byZwf9_jUsTMgr2fdV3VMeE-85vZ_-exJECJHNFfY3TWhIyHbw/s1600-h/IMG_1087.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGZWY1P2ecXHC5rTkLzgKMaquQ-emC7SX8OT1BRyn-cIzdcUn1-ROr6T0mIg4WqhQ1hsZrShe95dXw78Us7j0rHqJ4byZwf9_jUsTMgr2fdV3VMeE-85vZ_-exJECJHNFfY3TWhIyHbw/s400/IMG_1087.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883364844142562" /></a><br /><br />One of my favorites of the weekend, of Juliana and her baby brother!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-e10CvTHkgu26G6U5au80ID5HteNp4K4txN8q0ZeC4dQdb_fsYeThcjqSBThrud4osCxmZuik2QRQMHUtzetvQ2GUOrJcq41Tq_bK4PQ8ScPKVzr1-aLEi2T2HhREcYYBr-Lo929g1zE/s1600-h/IMG_1104.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-e10CvTHkgu26G6U5au80ID5HteNp4K4txN8q0ZeC4dQdb_fsYeThcjqSBThrud4osCxmZuik2QRQMHUtzetvQ2GUOrJcq41Tq_bK4PQ8ScPKVzr1-aLEi2T2HhREcYYBr-Lo929g1zE/s400/IMG_1104.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883359244641282" /></a><br /><br />This was the first time we allowed James to clean a fish! You can be sure the adults were hovering close by as he worked with that sharp knife, but he did very well!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnB65DBT1JUuR80De8liT5MXL-JCxays27xe_UtwoFpVqvBJA-B0qFrXRnrfVALZzVvsovPGCQzT16zjJA1STDP9lmaASksqoplZ9bb94YD0YOkO2kqhalNGK6fzug7kqwUrAE-XM9Ag/s1600-h/IMG_1110.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnB65DBT1JUuR80De8liT5MXL-JCxays27xe_UtwoFpVqvBJA-B0qFrXRnrfVALZzVvsovPGCQzT16zjJA1STDP9lmaASksqoplZ9bb94YD0YOkO2kqhalNGK6fzug7kqwUrAE-XM9Ag/s400/IMG_1110.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883349910227826" /></a><br /><br />Here is the photo-elusive, Joe Ryan!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jPdVaXISBRkvNyshyK1ssfoV0nR3EwgZjtlF7sdfdBWHh7vDn8yZhjbnaL41r6Ok2JuvOylVqWK3uUNo9cfVfGBAvWx8U-ACJpseawOhpwfVzXu_6epdOkNz59Na_333N6Je1L3Lacw/s1600-h/IMG_1112.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jPdVaXISBRkvNyshyK1ssfoV0nR3EwgZjtlF7sdfdBWHh7vDn8yZhjbnaL41r6Ok2JuvOylVqWK3uUNo9cfVfGBAvWx8U-ACJpseawOhpwfVzXu_6epdOkNz59Na_333N6Je1L3Lacw/s400/IMG_1112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378883343732620194" /></a><br /><br />James, deep in thought, about what who knows!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nTG3yFn07xR0sUK1xurMJVjvXDeX3ICnWg6ggZ5vUiSFW5zGijsI5Ycuui511c3zHnvS96VUiWaRYZqEkagm8i2Q92WlssketM1mx2HmZe7WUQD-ELW8TyYWYnM6pzzk_7gjr1JoiD4/s1600-h/IMG_1117.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nTG3yFn07xR0sUK1xurMJVjvXDeX3ICnWg6ggZ5vUiSFW5zGijsI5Ycuui511c3zHnvS96VUiWaRYZqEkagm8i2Q92WlssketM1mx2HmZe7WUQD-ELW8TyYWYnM6pzzk_7gjr1JoiD4/s400/IMG_1117.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378882983552238082" /></a><br /><br />James and JT, during campfire time!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWM8EziC6Efy1DzJxFPyJlRNQa8OEis04_pIbGoTYck9mikkKocASLpXvXqIO6txAPtBQJaVUXH1Fig7PeXgqXMgAY-S2st15mf3uO0pf0lnS0ClTYfAB5olR5HHL6VRBvmAvULZY5wc/s1600-h/IMG_1122.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWM8EziC6Efy1DzJxFPyJlRNQa8OEis04_pIbGoTYck9mikkKocASLpXvXqIO6txAPtBQJaVUXH1Fig7PeXgqXMgAY-S2st15mf3uO0pf0lnS0ClTYfAB5olR5HHL6VRBvmAvULZY5wc/s400/IMG_1122.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378882974840646738" /></a><br /><br />Father and Son (Dusty and Joe) enjoying the campfire....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JRPIEbXSoHi8PBYRQ9zzcSVihN_EKHofhAPE4iHCux3zTrOydtQog9ig9qypJ4a5UVTA3SorHWPRpD9T04AeH0NLb0yl2kVETegd6W5NGQN8Og472RKZXjuVCFd09qMaBrmSTRYJUaM/s1600-h/IMG_1125.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JRPIEbXSoHi8PBYRQ9zzcSVihN_EKHofhAPE4iHCux3zTrOydtQog9ig9qypJ4a5UVTA3SorHWPRpD9T04AeH0NLb0yl2kVETegd6W5NGQN8Og472RKZXjuVCFd09qMaBrmSTRYJUaM/s400/IMG_1125.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378882966425143074" /></a><br /><br />JT trying his hand at fishing up at the lake.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJzDbqIP06H0O1DHN9uUH2iRht2tZBoYSplu9ax2A-XDGfVDrNQg-1nC1a5KoSmjzlOe3sfFxywtvk9iWVasFYNnxbA5eLN3E4NzXFw8Ba4D-poj6qMBv26fywOpBE4kjjxsqV7SRkr8/s1600-h/IMG_1136.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJzDbqIP06H0O1DHN9uUH2iRht2tZBoYSplu9ax2A-XDGfVDrNQg-1nC1a5KoSmjzlOe3sfFxywtvk9iWVasFYNnxbA5eLN3E4NzXFw8Ba4D-poj6qMBv26fywOpBE4kjjxsqV7SRkr8/s400/IMG_1136.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378882961228078114" /></a><br /><br />Homeward bound....we had one tuckered out boy and dog! James discovered that Lacey made a great pillow!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABr0K0qcQNONDrI0_DbqAEO5g5jOuhyeRyC5IB_C4weRwc25AToFxknEhiKgUNVWHUwrnHPABMGyd3yhQ1H-7Kz8BuhHQPrt3gVKU6zpk2rhDbfSB8wH1DuJoMpfhVdXYYp8vZrwRHhM/s1600-h/IMG_1156.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABr0K0qcQNONDrI0_DbqAEO5g5jOuhyeRyC5IB_C4weRwc25AToFxknEhiKgUNVWHUwrnHPABMGyd3yhQ1H-7Kz8BuhHQPrt3gVKU6zpk2rhDbfSB8wH1DuJoMpfhVdXYYp8vZrwRHhM/s400/IMG_1156.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378882953821587138" /></a><br /><br />It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend! The weather cooperated, with clean skies and no rain, although the wind did blow alittle harder than we would have liked. But I would have settled for wind over rain anytime!! We ate well and made smores over the campfire. And more important than anything else, we made many happy family memories that weekend!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-20053907335969713082009-09-07T15:15:00.001-07:002009-09-07T16:35:51.676-07:00So Far Behind....Let's Start with the Corn Festival!!!I can't believe so much time has passed since I posted my last entry. Yes, we've been busy, but not that busy!! We had a few very busy weekends, where the camera never stopped....lots of fun time with the family!! <br /><br />The first Saturday in August is always our Olathe Sweet Corn Festival. It's a day we all look forward to the rest of the year. It's a LONG, exhausting day out in the heat but we love it! Last year was the first year Dusty's daughter, Lori, drove up from Denver to join us and she really seemed to enjoy herself at our small town festival! This year it was her brother, Joe's, turn with his wonderful family!! On Friday evening Lori arrived with Juliana and JT....Joe and Jen's two oldest. They came down on Friday so that we could all go to the street dance that evening.<br /><br />To kick off the Corn Festival each year, on Friday afternoon, they have an antique car show "downtown". This is followed by a street dance, where they line the downtown street with bales of hay and a local band plays. I might mention, too, that as part of the evening's entertainment there is also a "burn out"......where people who have "soupped up" their cars, turned them into hotrods, smoke their tires in a performance and noise show until the tires pops!! Can you say "REDNECK DELUX"!!!?? I long ago have stopped going to this "event" as I really don't enjoy the noise or smell, but Dusty and James always have to drag our unsuspecting guests to it!! It's about 6 blocks from our house, and I can still hear it from inside our livingroom!!!<br /><br />Anyway, back to the story at hand.....that whole weekend was a big slumber party at "Nana and Papa's" house. Lori brought the kids down on Friday night and we all enjoyed the music and ourselves at the street dance. When we got back to the house, we assigned sleeping partners. This was going to be a challenge, as our house is quite small and by Saturday night there would be a total of 8 of us sleeping under our roof! On Friday night, Juliana slept with Aunt Lori in our spare room and JT shared "Uncle" James' bed! Quite cozy!<br /><br />Joe and Jen arrived on Saturday morning with baby Jack and we all headed up to the Festival park. They run free shuttle buses all day and night from the downtown area and since our house is only three blocks from there, it's much easier to take the shuttles up and back than trying to find parking close to the park and paying for it. You just make up your mind that that day you walk your feet off! It's part of the "magic"! Hehehehe!!<br /><br />After spending a few hours munching on corn and various other foods, playing games and spending a lot of time at the climbing wall, we headed home for the hottest part of the day. Joe, Jen and Lori took the kids to see Grandma Stella for a few hours, before they all returned to our house so that we could head back up to the park for the evening and the Clint Black concert! It was a great evening, with lots more family time, corn, food and some wonderful music! The weather was perfect and there wasn't a mosquito in sight....Dusty always says with 14,000+ people even the mosquitos are overwhelmed and don't know where to start, so they don't even try!! The evening always ends with a terrific fireworks show! From beginning to end, it's a weekend that makes you proud to live in Olathe....and wonder how this little town (of only 1,100!!) can pull it all off like it does. From the corn to the entertainment to the security to the peace and harmony, no one could do it any better!!<br /><br />Here are some pictures I took that weekend......<br /><br />Here's Juliana with her glow stick headband at the street dance.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY0azvBCdiaAbzMdqpYfqzr2K2PqdLX6EYZj0HwxHQ4CZdCYh-RxNSCyTVO2QQXV9PSLW_yILVbSUuwhY0q17voxwrNyO1pUCPx4CA2OpRXUO9Lurwm5Ygycn3Bl14u8vwZANjN-przA/s1600-h/IMG_0913.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY0azvBCdiaAbzMdqpYfqzr2K2PqdLX6EYZj0HwxHQ4CZdCYh-RxNSCyTVO2QQXV9PSLW_yILVbSUuwhY0q17voxwrNyO1pUCPx4CA2OpRXUO9Lurwm5Ygycn3Bl14u8vwZANjN-przA/s400/IMG_0913.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378866099578517410" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And JT....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AhmHh9iFzrNxaAe8hpKWTDQt2MWSYKLUHDes06eAf1RkFtCy6k8dWYNpER_P21HvM_t2HZG2rwHhkCVdMxe8FdUPEzxrEmhD6jJ-Sr8DvymwJr-HUofPtIw2USIIA3EFfTT3oBPOpVo/s1600-h/IMG_0921.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AhmHh9iFzrNxaAe8hpKWTDQt2MWSYKLUHDes06eAf1RkFtCy6k8dWYNpER_P21HvM_t2HZG2rwHhkCVdMxe8FdUPEzxrEmhD6jJ-Sr8DvymwJr-HUofPtIw2USIIA3EFfTT3oBPOpVo/s400/IMG_0921.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378866016988242226" /></a><br /><br />Papa Dusty kicking up his heels with his granddaughter! I love how I caught her in midair!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7yJs7qZx40R2edf3IEjNbXC1zvdlQvCMXq-1FZ3J_rT_d6USZYls1qfozcT_MC0mT2-fZaW6vC0MDQ3SRNeRSP9Sr69MR3AIflB4L_Xb8iWW6bWeq_c_25qFxF6PYO6NFqJ-tTJAc0c/s1600-h/IMG_0930.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7yJs7qZx40R2edf3IEjNbXC1zvdlQvCMXq-1FZ3J_rT_d6USZYls1qfozcT_MC0mT2-fZaW6vC0MDQ3SRNeRSP9Sr69MR3AIflB4L_Xb8iWW6bWeq_c_25qFxF6PYO6NFqJ-tTJAc0c/s400/IMG_0930.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378866005514687682" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Aunt Lori dancing with the kids....are we all tired yet???<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGS3D54e25FTq47z-f6z_4LM6hw6mjc7a9vXuDPJtUy6SXjvzG5f64vv2QyaHjBzybvUOZytiAfokLi05u3NPm94v7PlE7lTCGPSanyH9SwMn0Wh7SriIVLrQr9-53Fs3hmqBYRo2hH-c/s1600-h/IMG_0943.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGS3D54e25FTq47z-f6z_4LM6hw6mjc7a9vXuDPJtUy6SXjvzG5f64vv2QyaHjBzybvUOZytiAfokLi05u3NPm94v7PlE7lTCGPSanyH9SwMn0Wh7SriIVLrQr9-53Fs3hmqBYRo2hH-c/s400/IMG_0943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378866002278362082" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I took this on Saturday morning right after everyone woke up. Lori with all three kids, cuddled up on the couch!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZEmGpNCWrdx7sAXbpqE2OBOn9WwLnNtOScoLJyHoAd6tF9DRqND_H3v-iazJqZGMdXs_W_9sU16SZWKL7WmbLaCxHWGF-toZvFDK1P8GnJgCTr_5R8ebkc6e0fveBs1G1xOyEhIdOeY/s1600-h/IMG_0946.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZEmGpNCWrdx7sAXbpqE2OBOn9WwLnNtOScoLJyHoAd6tF9DRqND_H3v-iazJqZGMdXs_W_9sU16SZWKL7WmbLaCxHWGF-toZvFDK1P8GnJgCTr_5R8ebkc6e0fveBs1G1xOyEhIdOeY/s400/IMG_0946.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865996471274882" /></a><br /><br />Settling into the festival. One of our first stops is the corn, of course!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGAfO_UT_RsWQKZO9wtHdZtDRybCCJ4JU8VlM2c3Ril8nJ-SQBENsc17dG_SYqrXuREAW1fDWo4orb3tNSD7SQvq9oY1JqQVM3L0xqbt6KoUBk8jzJpwSX_vGMtVtjhvTOgAhuLy7rLE/s1600-h/IMG_0965.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGAfO_UT_RsWQKZO9wtHdZtDRybCCJ4JU8VlM2c3Ril8nJ-SQBENsc17dG_SYqrXuREAW1fDWo4orb3tNSD7SQvq9oY1JqQVM3L0xqbt6KoUBk8jzJpwSX_vGMtVtjhvTOgAhuLy7rLE/s400/IMG_0965.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865988492035154" /></a><br /><br />We spent quite a bit of time with James, Juliana and JT at the climbing wall. James had never done a climbing wall before and we were so proud of him as he made it all the way up to the top of the 30' wall and then repelled down. Not easy for a kid who, until recently was afraid of heights!!<br />Getting secured in....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQScfgQ5Zhyphenhyphenk-5p6egMlcOVBaOBwhSSMQVLe4Cdy3kOvS3wo4K7iS7l78H4y1WFHuWiRKVlPezMb3b9Ytf-zVgcSDSBv2t7bDNLiYuYl8xKmBud1uqUX9g03tNgXpAgGAHCbySbn1S7w/s1600-h/IMG_0984.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQScfgQ5Zhyphenhyphenk-5p6egMlcOVBaOBwhSSMQVLe4Cdy3kOvS3wo4K7iS7l78H4y1WFHuWiRKVlPezMb3b9Ytf-zVgcSDSBv2t7bDNLiYuYl8xKmBud1uqUX9g03tNgXpAgGAHCbySbn1S7w/s400/IMG_0984.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865611200649938" /></a><br /><br />...going up!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YdBTTXLF6pe-su1284npfPZicuHu_-3QCJbIMF5niefNemzHdI3BK_Ez0j7JtVuSdv7YdE24HODRO6eABabFqyIxv4pyl7WgQWsopeVt-I-1mlXeVRevrgBjDofUTQg30z7ts-uaxkw/s1600-h/IMG_0988.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YdBTTXLF6pe-su1284npfPZicuHu_-3QCJbIMF5niefNemzHdI3BK_Ez0j7JtVuSdv7YdE24HODRO6eABabFqyIxv4pyl7WgQWsopeVt-I-1mlXeVRevrgBjDofUTQg30z7ts-uaxkw/s400/IMG_0988.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865607342756738" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />...to the top!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE3FZuS_Pswsb59Wu8qZ6Z5mqbvPNKTecZ5MR0MTBHZRzDODQ93t7Yxbbmx8LJqfF0nxDIzwja8eTAILzL4fYzLJLMQ7u9WDTtXp98beWvtTVXXc6xJ6LMMTw9weRpX3reoG8gURGnvA/s1600-h/IMG_0990.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE3FZuS_Pswsb59Wu8qZ6Z5mqbvPNKTecZ5MR0MTBHZRzDODQ93t7Yxbbmx8LJqfF0nxDIzwja8eTAILzL4fYzLJLMQ7u9WDTtXp98beWvtTVXXc6xJ6LMMTw9weRpX3reoG8gURGnvA/s400/IMG_0990.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865604607270546" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Back in the evening,Baby Jack's had his first taste of corn....YUMMY!! (He actually got more butter than corn, but that's okay for the first time with no teeth!!)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13M60R7vAWXDCtBFuVpWcQfBxrubGXCcEx1fYFv8lA-aqzVMpLDMIePRBMRJV5iFJyLEVzOsyvnWjGab6xGB7v7udY3iHAvPztcdLbAebqgEZOiKqTSW_GdZqacE1AJ3RrwppzB266do/s1600-h/IMG_1007.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13M60R7vAWXDCtBFuVpWcQfBxrubGXCcEx1fYFv8lA-aqzVMpLDMIePRBMRJV5iFJyLEVzOsyvnWjGab6xGB7v7udY3iHAvPztcdLbAebqgEZOiKqTSW_GdZqacE1AJ3RrwppzB266do/s400/IMG_1007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865593848658674" /></a><br /><br />Uncle James playing with Jack....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZXrSa9y9jxXxylNSgTQfmO0WGvYJuJfnJ_GBm03C_yXDNfFBH0xTQ-UcX8d3R-0ZtwMgBKKE4L1qgeGJGG3TuN3d4V1lqI78YFuHTIxFhOzjCe8VT2MwM6XfaymjTXICHhd2h0jG04s/s1600-h/IMG_1023.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZXrSa9y9jxXxylNSgTQfmO0WGvYJuJfnJ_GBm03C_yXDNfFBH0xTQ-UcX8d3R-0ZtwMgBKKE4L1qgeGJGG3TuN3d4V1lqI78YFuHTIxFhOzjCe8VT2MwM6XfaymjTXICHhd2h0jG04s/s400/IMG_1023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865589618759346" /></a><br /><br />Ahhhh, the love of cotton candy!!!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsrn6znJO9liL8nkTyeEaqzq_abO-yrgMHQDdvxoPRkRboy_sWJXnSq2P3IV2_sPjr8gXrsUE6dUlWyI7uuccGDdG7Z0extbkUbYHpw2Y9fixn1OIxej-JMa-ESqIu5-v2gdKi-Xa9tY/s1600-h/IMG_1033.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsrn6znJO9liL8nkTyeEaqzq_abO-yrgMHQDdvxoPRkRboy_sWJXnSq2P3IV2_sPjr8gXrsUE6dUlWyI7uuccGDdG7Z0extbkUbYHpw2Y9fixn1OIxej-JMa-ESqIu5-v2gdKi-Xa9tY/s400/IMG_1033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865283569823618" /></a><br /><br />The sister-in-laws....Lori and Jen!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y8btG5_X2znEj7gEvWR6v7D83IFLF-XQqQgJdSjWN15EmULYLP4QGTqcXa9zaOW0c5YNGatPoldNKRhHjqFOjbhdEPLyjDRxYt6gDJMevM_DSkebRMnaaskJf6uHl-cfxRxvmpHWJv8/s1600-h/IMG_1034.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y8btG5_X2znEj7gEvWR6v7D83IFLF-XQqQgJdSjWN15EmULYLP4QGTqcXa9zaOW0c5YNGatPoldNKRhHjqFOjbhdEPLyjDRxYt6gDJMevM_DSkebRMnaaskJf6uHl-cfxRxvmpHWJv8/s400/IMG_1034.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865282797398802" /></a><br /><br />JT, all bundled up and ready for the show! "Start the music", he says!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWrVhJRH5luwRQ2CZTo5OuHlpO5BWnz8ylzqgDmh_WjwzKwesLAMEZD8YA3r_eXmwDTlTjPoveyGC5ZBzaHuQKXR3f7hOaxTd4iBGsvlM8o5HPqGpFlsx6o-AgV_nCB6oQxTndmuvhBs/s1600-h/IMG_1037.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 362px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWrVhJRH5luwRQ2CZTo5OuHlpO5BWnz8ylzqgDmh_WjwzKwesLAMEZD8YA3r_eXmwDTlTjPoveyGC5ZBzaHuQKXR3f7hOaxTd4iBGsvlM8o5HPqGpFlsx6o-AgV_nCB6oQxTndmuvhBs/s400/IMG_1037.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865270486262018" /></a><br /><br />Here I am, playing my beloved role as "Nana" with sweet little Jack! It won't be long before he's running around and keeping up with the other kids!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRlsdj80jfLx6870NOT3iEkzirGr0S76ppXV-Go8qbAY8wRqxm6_7sOC-gu5xgun2QNXZtG5Etrr3c72FDLvwdh9YC4skXhq5OqWJMdh5Zc_Id53sIHYgOUxCHj9c9g7-5726cjpzXSU/s1600-h/IMG_1040.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRlsdj80jfLx6870NOT3iEkzirGr0S76ppXV-Go8qbAY8wRqxm6_7sOC-gu5xgun2QNXZtG5Etrr3c72FDLvwdh9YC4skXhq5OqWJMdh5Zc_Id53sIHYgOUxCHj9c9g7-5726cjpzXSU/s400/IMG_1040.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865268958007186" /></a><br /><br />At the end of the concert! I loved how James "melted" into his chair and had to take this picture!! All three of the big kids did the same thing! They had gone nonstop since 9am and it was now after 11pm. Juliana woke up for the fireworks, James watched with one eye open and JT slept through the whole thing! Better luck next year!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQCbvf_ABGm1-d0ps72O-WLXJqxq0SZr0LFqKRxFJhZ_Nia5WVqVvAYhRH6ISbRjZ1ou_krql2gYmtAtjqEBBKdM55AKv33FfHNuz73uKmol7d_s3IjYb6NQ71-maN1wtkVDRWWKFll8/s1600-h/IMG_1052.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQCbvf_ABGm1-d0ps72O-WLXJqxq0SZr0LFqKRxFJhZ_Nia5WVqVvAYhRH6ISbRjZ1ou_krql2gYmtAtjqEBBKdM55AKv33FfHNuz73uKmol7d_s3IjYb6NQ71-maN1wtkVDRWWKFll8/s400/IMG_1052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378865260337026514" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-30892320305484042562009-07-26T12:11:00.000-07:002009-07-26T13:05:43.500-07:00A Taste of Next Week......Our corn season has arrived!! Next week is our annual corn festival....yippee! Joe, Jen and the kids are coming down to join us for the festival next week, as well as Joe's sister (Dusty's daughter!!), Lori from Denver! It's going to be a real family affair this year! We're going to have so much fun! <br /><br />Clint Black is the headliner at the concert on Saturday night and we're all looking forward to that!!! We were driving the streets of Grand Junction yesterday and I saw this billboad....I had to take a picture, as I'd never seen a billboad for the Corn Festival before! WOW! We've hit the big time!! LOL You have to remember that it's the one day of the year when our little town of 1,100 people swells to tens of thousands! Pretty exciting stuff for us, though we're also pretty glad when things go back to normal!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E56whdbgWOM-8h9CXxCEG0481VnQjdOcTjnxiLHvy0zU-mI0OvNgDJzOVQXkgpBmaSVgHOOPqhN1_DXjsicMsWP87hLMQgLpa5ROhZBs2DoBU4xI7IPyQ_xGuSLJrwCbHzOmuoEZ3l4/s1600-h/IMG_0885.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E56whdbgWOM-8h9CXxCEG0481VnQjdOcTjnxiLHvy0zU-mI0OvNgDJzOVQXkgpBmaSVgHOOPqhN1_DXjsicMsWP87hLMQgLpa5ROhZBs2DoBU4xI7IPyQ_xGuSLJrwCbHzOmuoEZ3l4/s400/IMG_0885.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362861093954528578" /></a><br /><br />For about two weeks now, I've been seeing the trucks full of corn, coming down out of the fields on their way to the packing plant, across the highway! It's always exciting to see, as it's the area's major crop and income! Jen had asked us to bring them a case of corn (which is 48 ears, for those who don't know!), so that she could freeze it for the winter. We stopped yesterday morning on our way up to their house, at the packing plant to pick up the case of corn....picked just the day before! Yummy!!!<br /><br />Here is a stack of the plastic trays of corn that they bring down from the fields. And that's a giant mountain of ice in the background! They produce ice 24/7 to keep up with the demands of packing the corn for shipping. They pack the 48 ears of corn in each case with a generous amount of crushed ice to keep it cold in transit. From this packing plant, they ship OUR corn to grocery stores, all over the country! WOW!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lP1RaBV1bSMfniJYx1N1RSiiEfiGf0RsDGp6pkt9ucc80Xz_W_zCLRQypu3KV-KGyK6B74QG2nUkweeufxNSmqQCez70iCAtDMtZkZaCgpYkyXvb0Z33MLObnu_dvLhMBL9bJ0qK58c/s1600-h/IMG_0829.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lP1RaBV1bSMfniJYx1N1RSiiEfiGf0RsDGp6pkt9ucc80Xz_W_zCLRQypu3KV-KGyK6B74QG2nUkweeufxNSmqQCez70iCAtDMtZkZaCgpYkyXvb0Z33MLObnu_dvLhMBL9bJ0qK58c/s400/IMG_0829.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362849096898890402" /></a><br /><br />I took a picture of James standing in front of the ice mountain, so that you can see how huge it really is.......<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwD4KmTdprq_bUbDut2On3zAt054yosuw7gmlAnkGNSxhJ7ySUvXxeZ4eYZVi8pZco7JcmLPJRr1zKE5gzgRG-IXoIianxgQOUFsdsVfY8Sh0nJ3tluJNHWEKj_Nd7cFHXraUmB4B5iU/s1600-h/IMG_0834.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwD4KmTdprq_bUbDut2On3zAt054yosuw7gmlAnkGNSxhJ7ySUvXxeZ4eYZVi8pZco7JcmLPJRr1zKE5gzgRG-IXoIianxgQOUFsdsVfY8Sh0nJ3tluJNHWEKj_Nd7cFHXraUmB4B5iU/s400/IMG_0834.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362849092452980690" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-18015892603179530472009-07-26T11:45:00.001-07:002009-07-26T12:10:27.340-07:00Dinosaurs......OH MY!!!!Yesterday we made the hour drive up to Grand Junction, to Joe and Jen's new home! Then we took all the kids to the Dinosaur museum called "Dinosaur Journey". What fun time we all had. It's a great interactive museum for kids, though the adults enjoyed it too!! It was a hot, humid day and it was nice to find an indoor activity to do for a few hours!<br /><br />Here are all the kids out in front of the sign!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDIV8TRb-gMoVI3PR2-xSuWYJK9mDnrF3hZlU00fXZMdVPQM5ke8fsQkPC7tNauh7Y-rvxgjRfs08JjWLgMr56sQsp_g9I2FLzosOIdlZ394mF-1-oRTpU46XjNjKELOAuSLhA-eZl68/s1600-h/IMG_0883.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDIV8TRb-gMoVI3PR2-xSuWYJK9mDnrF3hZlU00fXZMdVPQM5ke8fsQkPC7tNauh7Y-rvxgjRfs08JjWLgMr56sQsp_g9I2FLzosOIdlZ394mF-1-oRTpU46XjNjKELOAuSLhA-eZl68/s400/IMG_0883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843642482163122" /></a><br /><br />There were many replicas thoughout the museum....these are my two favorite pictures! The second one was a bit gory, but realistic nonetheless, I suppose!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq8eV50_COFlra6jiBxPKx-rQt0qIHMyLjEz3kAzkIlm7IVyp7zke0QChN0h4uO7XnL4BlhIYLXqqSSNuuCr-gY9ZCFxCgdSd3b0TRN6dmSEXUlGZu01ZYttIVtUqH6xSB4XHfzJJLjM/s1600-h/IMG_0845.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq8eV50_COFlra6jiBxPKx-rQt0qIHMyLjEz3kAzkIlm7IVyp7zke0QChN0h4uO7XnL4BlhIYLXqqSSNuuCr-gY9ZCFxCgdSd3b0TRN6dmSEXUlGZu01ZYttIVtUqH6xSB4XHfzJJLjM/s400/IMG_0845.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843641028878978" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxz0qXEoY-c4gmjKmskAv-m7JTQSLI4wuo5lkE8LsJJLQceBu2uOkWUbPT9Idxr0S0Xs6f_VDL0zhc4sreZnMNjH_7NgkxmYvZe6Fax9mMkg2fZ_7eRpjVSpW7dNPP7BSPq9ZLGOxbjA/s1600-h/IMG_0853.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxz0qXEoY-c4gmjKmskAv-m7JTQSLI4wuo5lkE8LsJJLQceBu2uOkWUbPT9Idxr0S0Xs6f_VDL0zhc4sreZnMNjH_7NgkxmYvZe6Fax9mMkg2fZ_7eRpjVSpW7dNPP7BSPq9ZLGOxbjA/s400/IMG_0853.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843027295359906" /></a><br /><br />James, Juliana and JT posing with the skeleton of one of the dinosaurs....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2sBN8bQFpn52kcjHmkV57fYqKUjei7KiKMkAFJo2K__wWd2nj-E-Df3hV5O1aya7Z9DXH-c7ddkTyPEf-is04wMNJNxlQENzkREw6CWZwtp7sJhKkxXL3tGHejzXnRH9-os7fz0iQt8/s1600-h/IMG_0852.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2sBN8bQFpn52kcjHmkV57fYqKUjei7KiKMkAFJo2K__wWd2nj-E-Df3hV5O1aya7Z9DXH-c7ddkTyPEf-is04wMNJNxlQENzkREw6CWZwtp7sJhKkxXL3tGHejzXnRH9-os7fz0iQt8/s400/IMG_0852.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843016097957298" /></a><br /><br />They were doing "tatoos" for all the kids! James had one on both arms by the end of our stay!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsPKwNSM9vbjq3OQDsxOOkJKBuYsOZmcOUw-5xfiNfYPxoXIgT4EeCYvQQRi1jSdj6X1DEAjlbrOyYQqQOTiDiWeKPziI3XDM9mjsIQH2I80-wV_DEGi9RvjeRv1M4dz4dnNCDmsbmlg/s1600-h/IMG_0849.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsPKwNSM9vbjq3OQDsxOOkJKBuYsOZmcOUw-5xfiNfYPxoXIgT4EeCYvQQRi1jSdj6X1DEAjlbrOyYQqQOTiDiWeKPziI3XDM9mjsIQH2I80-wV_DEGi9RvjeRv1M4dz4dnNCDmsbmlg/s400/IMG_0849.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843011249553186" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Even Baby Jack, at 6 months old, took it all in! He was so cute, all wide-eyed!! Here he is with his Mama, Jen!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzrI4fjyNxd9B9PM1HXhp0tVmGCD2CKWENVn9wVOyvOqHcuo9c606ndKjwKH9zbob9Zin3to3siCBqlydcGgjX0-sgsPRkHYQZO3pN_i8AmwbsTclgnxmQTTLNUiw0k3f9zzJzAdEbO4/s1600-h/IMG_0860.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzrI4fjyNxd9B9PM1HXhp0tVmGCD2CKWENVn9wVOyvOqHcuo9c606ndKjwKH9zbob9Zin3to3siCBqlydcGgjX0-sgsPRkHYQZO3pN_i8AmwbsTclgnxmQTTLNUiw0k3f9zzJzAdEbO4/s400/IMG_0860.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843009734346258" /></a><br /><br />And James with a mean looking dinosaur!!:)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6g-6qULrKs5lepSJdo0bhfJlSqkbB3rjl3JFipB6Dg0HANUewCeam8U4knsPW_s9NAmwMP4i68LYZvxqEvlUi-H4dlJjDhwzPgp15cnAQa5hdFclOpQke1fuqLp-IpL3u-jF4okXSbw/s1600-h/IMG_0880.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6g-6qULrKs5lepSJdo0bhfJlSqkbB3rjl3JFipB6Dg0HANUewCeam8U4knsPW_s9NAmwMP4i68LYZvxqEvlUi-H4dlJjDhwzPgp15cnAQa5hdFclOpQke1fuqLp-IpL3u-jF4okXSbw/s400/IMG_0880.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362843000159561682" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-29877417219791062712009-07-19T14:11:00.000-07:002009-07-19T19:50:06.054-07:00Recorder Music, Sunsets and MustachesJames really enjoys his sessions with the school's music teacher, Mr. Chenivert. He has been able to experience all sorts of wonderful and fun musical things through this man in the last 3 years. Then this June, when James found out that Mr. Chenivert was teaching the recorder as part of the summer camp, he was THERE!! James has learned quickly and well, practicing often at home. <br /><br />Mr. Chenivert called and said that he performs at the Coffee Trader (a locally, privately owned coffee house in Montrose) on Thursday and Friday evenings and he was inviting some of his students to join him to perform on Fridays! They have a lovely patio area and he sets up there. So we went on Friday evening for James' first performance!<br /><br />He did very well dealing with the "butterflies"....Mom and Dad knew they were there because we've heard him play these songs flawlessly many times at home, but that wasn't to be at performance time. Nonetheless, he got up there and performed and now knows what it feels like to be in front of an audience! <br /><br />This is Mr. Chenivert and James setting up the stage before they all started performing......<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BLW6wGC3gLuLS_NAPEUQPt7NUK6f533n84Oxtcyz4m6EASMWSsuphOksUNm_7xXj0J_pIStUThi3eUuEcb22TvE92MELnRkOK4GEMkovTAdPwboRvDZCe1tTj1Bo58ReJQ7k94SlsYs/s1600-h/IMG_0806.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BLW6wGC3gLuLS_NAPEUQPt7NUK6f533n84Oxtcyz4m6EASMWSsuphOksUNm_7xXj0J_pIStUThi3eUuEcb22TvE92MELnRkOK4GEMkovTAdPwboRvDZCe1tTj1Bo58ReJQ7k94SlsYs/s400/IMG_0806.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360282876180593938" /></a><br /><br />James, rehearsing beforehand. He's always so serious when he plays!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzsZScRmBJlBdZndYvYxmgrzuNqID1wHTk8ehkrhFV6MkQ3neERFiWs4jOS2GNmOEIPiKphvTpZOC39H8YncG_Qf8F_VIpQKCYLKrzDkzwWdLbjgUfc6mtcn_fQveDb72-qLP23j8E3o/s1600-h/IMG_0810.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzsZScRmBJlBdZndYvYxmgrzuNqID1wHTk8ehkrhFV6MkQ3neERFiWs4jOS2GNmOEIPiKphvTpZOC39H8YncG_Qf8F_VIpQKCYLKrzDkzwWdLbjgUfc6mtcn_fQveDb72-qLP23j8E3o/s400/IMG_0810.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360282873816910130" /></a><br />I'm looking forward to his being able to start an instument in the 4th grade. We're already discussing which instruments he might be intersted in.....will it be the clarinet, the french horn, the sax??<br /><br />And here he is playing "When the Saints Come Marching In"! We were so proud of him and I love the look on Mr. Chenivert's face! He obivously was quite proud too!<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bmGJmus3yJU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bmGJmus3yJU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />On our way home, we were treated to a specatular sunset!! There have been fires in our area the last week and no doubt they were contributing factors to the beauty of the sunset! Here are two pictures that I took when Dusty pulled off into the cemetary (which sits up on a hill) just as the sun was setting.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z3s6ImnKVGOPlp6Q5YvtSK1BtTpH84A9x1CaB44RE9p5M1r_QniDV47PcYLkO9fzW8ehVwsbmoMqbiCK6JjD_F898F9IzURyaaAJkjDlwWURVl7MNjHyDfZ89K66T72ZMOng2SASFlg/s1600-h/IMG_0820.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z3s6ImnKVGOPlp6Q5YvtSK1BtTpH84A9x1CaB44RE9p5M1r_QniDV47PcYLkO9fzW8ehVwsbmoMqbiCK6JjD_F898F9IzURyaaAJkjDlwWURVl7MNjHyDfZ89K66T72ZMOng2SASFlg/s400/IMG_0820.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360282870124416514" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W5zTsiYJ_Z_7UgDNdBuRaB6Wy7I5BT3Lwc83g3clGakgbkKh_TQRqUq4LyeAZEWplhSsi0-IX8nQpajcEZDwtbVf07rgsS35q85kguI-JNbm3n_ojHgM5V9MsK3le1jWbpYJm0svOBU/s1600-h/IMG_0823.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W5zTsiYJ_Z_7UgDNdBuRaB6Wy7I5BT3Lwc83g3clGakgbkKh_TQRqUq4LyeAZEWplhSsi0-IX8nQpajcEZDwtbVf07rgsS35q85kguI-JNbm3n_ojHgM5V9MsK3le1jWbpYJm0svOBU/s400/IMG_0823.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360282870705489954" /></a><br /><br />And then, when I woke up yesterday morning, I was greeted by a mustache-less husband!! Never in the 12 1/2 years I've known him, have I seen him without his mustache!! The beard comes and goes, depending on the season, but the mustache is ALWAYS there. When I asked him what happened, he said, "It fell off!" Something about the trimmer! LOL I don't suppose it'll last long, and so I grabbed the camera to document the "moment"!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg6yqWDnzV49nhcqzAnP17ZRPwITyWgme_SVmM6WN3eSmkchuIlhtqqCTpuwTRmsSgf8pwrDFQQSwYV8cOKiZV5zWSdBcGQtil5P8Ss_5bIQnxpMvwzPQNytOGAdybnPUBetvLRMWFwQ/s1600-h/IMG_0826.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg6yqWDnzV49nhcqzAnP17ZRPwITyWgme_SVmM6WN3eSmkchuIlhtqqCTpuwTRmsSgf8pwrDFQQSwYV8cOKiZV5zWSdBcGQtil5P8Ss_5bIQnxpMvwzPQNytOGAdybnPUBetvLRMWFwQ/s400/IMG_0826.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360282866437062050" /></a><br /><br />This Sunday afternoon finds us being lazy around the house, as we head into another week. This Thursday evening, I'll be performing with the band, in downtown Montrose. That should be fun and I'm looking forward to it. We've already got plans for next weekend and I can promise that many pictures will be taken. So stay tuned for another posting soon! I hope that in the mean time, you'll have a terrific week!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-27625525763430054482009-07-14T17:17:00.000-07:002009-07-14T20:28:03.690-07:00A Weekend in the MountainsThis last weekend we went camping! We went to one of our favorite places....a campground up above Telluride at a place called Woods Lake! It's amazingly gorgeous up there! At about 9,500 feet above sea level, we were up in the aspen forest! Woods Lake sits in a "bowl" surrounded by high alpine mountains, several above tree-line. The views and scenery are spectacular, and reminds me of why people say Colorado is "God's Country"!! And we are lucky enough to live only an hour and a half drive from this beautiful place!!<br /><br />I have many pictures to share with you from the weekend. I took so many pictures and choosing which to post here has been difficult. I'm glad I don't feel like I have to hold back too much when I comes to posting pictures here! LOL I hope you'll enjoy seeing these. As we were camping and I was taking pictures, I was thinking how cool it would be to have you all there with us!! Well, this is the best I can do!!<br /><br />As I said, we were up in the aspen forest. I've always thought that the aspens have a different "feel" than being in a pine forest. The aspens tend to be "lighter" in feel, with there light colored bark and light green leaves. Dusty took this picture, near our campsite, and I really like the way it came out!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCl585SaHxUhXimoF_HPZAVs_5-7QvLPO-gIo6mPNLHyg4v9KnMyPBFKlzbPuChswb7OTM5ef9Kn8HL0PdNHT5hkxFok1jacR7NG-dGCO5bZvQj56NT0R-P1_ovtfAtQ2Ol52aIfJIjJ0/s1600-h/IMG_0675.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCl585SaHxUhXimoF_HPZAVs_5-7QvLPO-gIo6mPNLHyg4v9KnMyPBFKlzbPuChswb7OTM5ef9Kn8HL0PdNHT5hkxFok1jacR7NG-dGCO5bZvQj56NT0R-P1_ovtfAtQ2Ol52aIfJIjJ0/s400/IMG_0675.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482819265921586" /></a><br /><br />I took many pictures of the wildflowers that were blooming. This is one wildflower that I really like. It's so delicate looking. I believe it's called "Queen Anne's Lace". If you know differently, please let me know as my wildflower education is lacking!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMUPUUJ-scFF1OMNUnPZVAJKE2EsLSNpW9KNvyq9D4Sh5XJXpGXrs7TW1s_pVJ5ZvGhAcwjjj3rSAgU4Ej7zkZ1xbncewjqpIXpWCcvOOO77wx5NHvMrr5s-rdmdVNB4mntCNbjk879A/s1600-h/IMG_0697.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMUPUUJ-scFF1OMNUnPZVAJKE2EsLSNpW9KNvyq9D4Sh5XJXpGXrs7TW1s_pVJ5ZvGhAcwjjj3rSAgU4Ej7zkZ1xbncewjqpIXpWCcvOOO77wx5NHvMrr5s-rdmdVNB4mntCNbjk879A/s400/IMG_0697.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482813194489026" /></a><br /><br />I took this one of the aspen trees above where we had set up our tent.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TtuykgIsOdibeDQfPTCeG-UyNhxOA9gxHdu6xWkd6DkW6woxxZyfuawBG_zAbFi15q581Y4hjUtYmqiBxrKJjik2KesiJI4xUQOZ0ePmS9O0-dEqA_bJU8fgF1RT46LWdljmw3_j92E/s1600-h/IMG_0642.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TtuykgIsOdibeDQfPTCeG-UyNhxOA9gxHdu6xWkd6DkW6woxxZyfuawBG_zAbFi15q581Y4hjUtYmqiBxrKJjik2KesiJI4xUQOZ0ePmS9O0-dEqA_bJU8fgF1RT46LWdljmw3_j92E/s400/IMG_0642.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482810719911938" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is our "home away from home".....how we'd LOVE a camper of some kind!! Maybe someday!! But for now the tent is fine....all four of us fit in it just fine (yes, Lacey too!!).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ynIeuzXMiy9Ol5yKW8XvaEQi18o-gQL4mt_5yiTcbKYJjMqV1BtQGiNmxx9zTp5Wp0ge5pQZ3LLzjyFadaH6rFsB0X-Fl576jm1scMcB_7nTYsaBbeN5bKOjnkw35_lT9BSwXw_zfQg/s1600-h/IMG_0641.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 343px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ynIeuzXMiy9Ol5yKW8XvaEQi18o-gQL4mt_5yiTcbKYJjMqV1BtQGiNmxx9zTp5Wp0ge5pQZ3LLzjyFadaH6rFsB0X-Fl576jm1scMcB_7nTYsaBbeN5bKOjnkw35_lT9BSwXw_zfQg/s400/IMG_0641.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482025807759730" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And our newest purchase....a screened canopy! When it rains (which it often does in the mountains in the summer!), it's nice to have a place to escape that's not the tent!! The tent tends to get very hot and humid during the day! This gives us another option! While the screen part is supposed to keep the bugs out, we found it did the opposite! As we use it in the future, we'll perfect HOW to use it, but it was nice to have!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8kgwCRyYcP42jLSTczklZMM8L13arLpmmxrZLtd-UFNSpVT2JaOSaAoe97c-wjzuIGekhLsKvyjW6SqwpAw3hyphenhyphen8HDU9mwODyzgbRAPSmdlJ4mv9nZzJdk1IHvSVu0dzAbz2haWt2sV8/s1600-h/IMG_0689.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8kgwCRyYcP42jLSTczklZMM8L13arLpmmxrZLtd-UFNSpVT2JaOSaAoe97c-wjzuIGekhLsKvyjW6SqwpAw3hyphenhyphen8HDU9mwODyzgbRAPSmdlJ4mv9nZzJdk1IHvSVu0dzAbz2haWt2sV8/s400/IMG_0689.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482025438044770" /></a><br /><br />And before too many people complain that I never post pictures of myself, here I am! I didn't do a very good job of getting in front of the lens this trip. I was enjoying being behind it too much!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKwDfQMszXLvf7h7gcd_JcIrBR8gxp46OcgHbwp3kdqDJ5ZZ4wmijPG1VutHieiyfbBiCV4dTHa6YHOMsqR2RqaHGFAE3yZHqx0_yiM64VTbBzhcQO4P5ev9kfsj2TSFRuPgZMi7wjJ0/s1600-h/IMG_0659.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKwDfQMszXLvf7h7gcd_JcIrBR8gxp46OcgHbwp3kdqDJ5ZZ4wmijPG1VutHieiyfbBiCV4dTHa6YHOMsqR2RqaHGFAE3yZHqx0_yiM64VTbBzhcQO4P5ev9kfsj2TSFRuPgZMi7wjJ0/s400/IMG_0659.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482019617681234" /></a><br /><br />And a great close up of James....the "camping kid!"<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3GxLkf4TxttZwjyPhbEN4mCoTynG3JPUleadS9GWDfZgO8hi5ANjwWHTTjbwXxdlfhnOgH_5M8kfMBrb_lFtZ63eQL-yYGOyTVXEUDjxTxhfC2PjEabkr5J77kGymc1sLKY7Yozrb68/s1600-h/IMG_0717.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3GxLkf4TxttZwjyPhbEN4mCoTynG3JPUleadS9GWDfZgO8hi5ANjwWHTTjbwXxdlfhnOgH_5M8kfMBrb_lFtZ63eQL-yYGOyTVXEUDjxTxhfC2PjEabkr5J77kGymc1sLKY7Yozrb68/s400/IMG_0717.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482015257894066" /></a><br /><br />And one (the only one!) of James and me that was taken this weekend!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBF2mYFZGyZ8ZqVQImnFVCDn3sp8I8x4UlhHZjmlSIC0eincl-5dwvfUTq-BblhWS1A5ntrZke037EJR5rvHsLuBBTklmLzWpD2AanFFlU6A4mg_ZRoOum90I2chG33Kb8z8ZarJDX2c/s1600-h/IMG_0663.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBF2mYFZGyZ8ZqVQImnFVCDn3sp8I8x4UlhHZjmlSIC0eincl-5dwvfUTq-BblhWS1A5ntrZke037EJR5rvHsLuBBTklmLzWpD2AanFFlU6A4mg_ZRoOum90I2chG33Kb8z8ZarJDX2c/s400/IMG_0663.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358482008638312450" /></a><br /><br />And a close up of Dusty.....so now you've seen real current pics of all three of us!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xp6yLE3M4i8EXsg_l6Jp2mcwLq_BwAh91aiTIJCVyrKvxg33LdiaO8gltbF1867QzvolIitgUYxXfmqNM56sG9mfc9cpg883wcgRPTPsXMXf5vDWysJL9U0armKSRzyETIInxXCuv7E/s1600-h/IMG_0715.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xp6yLE3M4i8EXsg_l6Jp2mcwLq_BwAh91aiTIJCVyrKvxg33LdiaO8gltbF1867QzvolIitgUYxXfmqNM56sG9mfc9cpg883wcgRPTPsXMXf5vDWysJL9U0armKSRzyETIInxXCuv7E/s400/IMG_0715.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358481007183204386" /></a><br /><br />Here's James concentrating on Dad teaching him to tie a fishing knot!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QN92rdq8hXVb_d0IsJDwLH5txBXrsK6_zLJrVNi1sAWsZrBEf4OhhjXTJlxBjB3gV-_qj9kvorQmbF5QLiZala_d7nMhcimpf_F1VJTnh-8wSDgVBukOJ4nfY4ErOgRlsF5a7w1Fgio/s1600-h/IMG_0733.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QN92rdq8hXVb_d0IsJDwLH5txBXrsK6_zLJrVNi1sAWsZrBEf4OhhjXTJlxBjB3gV-_qj9kvorQmbF5QLiZala_d7nMhcimpf_F1VJTnh-8wSDgVBukOJ4nfY4ErOgRlsF5a7w1Fgio/s400/IMG_0733.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358481001851042882" /></a><br /><br />On Saturday afternoon, even though it was raining on and off, the boys decided to go fishing up at the lake. I stayed back, reading and resting a bit in the tent, listening to the rain! When Dusty and James came back about 2 hours later, there was great excitement.....for the first time James had "out-fished" Dad!! (Of course, Dad's busy helping James and not fishing himself, but that didn't count!! LOL) James had caught 4 nice brook trout, and kept two of them, bringing them back to camp for dinner. Here is the proud guy with his catch!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdHT2Op2zJrd7mcjDSNQ4jQCn1HYZo0Qubkt66pXEXizc6LGHvn1zCUtqH7nPKwCpwogy5N9oLNyN-QIcVa1plRWrveugYx8vLRj3e4FvhD8sLFfZgKNinYISu4O91r56D0crGD52xAQ/s1600-h/IMG_0703.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdHT2Op2zJrd7mcjDSNQ4jQCn1HYZo0Qubkt66pXEXizc6LGHvn1zCUtqH7nPKwCpwogy5N9oLNyN-QIcVa1plRWrveugYx8vLRj3e4FvhD8sLFfZgKNinYISu4O91r56D0crGD52xAQ/s400/IMG_0703.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358480998536087490" /></a><br /><br />And sitting down to enjoy the "fruit of his labor"! Ahhh, the sweet taste of success!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyp_rrHEwCcxX8fNAU11WhXhEAHs4Dwy015LXKfZ5oRdM2W4-lZOTnD15w4jbPo4bdYD9fawQ00C3YanyhKelysHV1-No1xoOmM3G_bNH-aHqRdOashJ4wtzKIJj6UzkXXgvYaCvdxI0k/s1600-h/IMG_0752.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyp_rrHEwCcxX8fNAU11WhXhEAHs4Dwy015LXKfZ5oRdM2W4-lZOTnD15w4jbPo4bdYD9fawQ00C3YanyhKelysHV1-No1xoOmM3G_bNH-aHqRdOashJ4wtzKIJj6UzkXXgvYaCvdxI0k/s400/IMG_0752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358480993581399026" /></a><br /><br />On Sunday, after we packed up our camp, we headed back to the lake for some more fishing. While no fish were caught, it was so great to see that James is truly becoming a lover of fishing, just like his Dad! It's so much fun for me to stand back and watch my boys do something together that they love so much!! James really listened to the pointers that Dusty had for him this weekend, and it showed! He's well on his way to being a great fisherman, just like Dusty!!<br /><br />Here are some pictures that I took while we were at the lake....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTv5d5GAxR5A8jXhCMwalMEBRHyPPjiN8P6SknzfDGKiX7AA0kp3NZQchfBa1RwmXpBDELkMOt_6m0IqxbmcHSRayMPfQn6RlF1th6o-RGL6WH48tUyibiCOt0pOQHUAe-1QreUnHaco/s1600-h/IMG_0754.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTv5d5GAxR5A8jXhCMwalMEBRHyPPjiN8P6SknzfDGKiX7AA0kp3NZQchfBa1RwmXpBDELkMOt_6m0IqxbmcHSRayMPfQn6RlF1th6o-RGL6WH48tUyibiCOt0pOQHUAe-1QreUnHaco/s400/IMG_0754.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358480988105288754" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR43l3BCgPJE51bxY_wv8tPdx3duhcI_pSOvSE0dzqDleaIiNDJlg18VmOtvS8yz7giq-IH2BBYWGFLNSgjIAFF0oqmMEgHaiVdremKoMzG7wMdG0S4a17u29bzdBBylMwf0kuzPUlwhQ/s1600-h/IMG_0759.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR43l3BCgPJE51bxY_wv8tPdx3duhcI_pSOvSE0dzqDleaIiNDJlg18VmOtvS8yz7giq-IH2BBYWGFLNSgjIAFF0oqmMEgHaiVdremKoMzG7wMdG0S4a17u29bzdBBylMwf0kuzPUlwhQ/s400/IMG_0759.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358479714529507490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c24mVFZXzzZEoSCl-rsDskVt5WnsQLr8my43gNwqkCQeKf0-jmE800GSRp9n8rvcdiiIpFlIujcYQ3QEcPPUeqFPtaiYA56ViiGcgxPbkEg7ri4ZVM4L3MaRUPuMWvNuA3MRm_FRiJQ/s1600-h/IMG_0803.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c24mVFZXzzZEoSCl-rsDskVt5WnsQLr8my43gNwqkCQeKf0-jmE800GSRp9n8rvcdiiIpFlIujcYQ3QEcPPUeqFPtaiYA56ViiGcgxPbkEg7ri4ZVM4L3MaRUPuMWvNuA3MRm_FRiJQ/s400/IMG_0803.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358479703676159122" /></a><br /><br />I don't know how you can concentrate on fishing when you are surrounded by this beautiful scenery!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaCbcLDN2oCrFRR-6TF0Xy-zGgFCzJD1TH_jMDTzL_76JZenenilQjn6qBGw43btJ3mQAlA3uy3O3tIQbrhijCEOJ5jkW-14TxZj-R6jY3aXk8bQ_whWrS7ZMGBBh_nGXI-eSbZS6dy4/s1600-h/IMG_0802.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaCbcLDN2oCrFRR-6TF0Xy-zGgFCzJD1TH_jMDTzL_76JZenenilQjn6qBGw43btJ3mQAlA3uy3O3tIQbrhijCEOJ5jkW-14TxZj-R6jY3aXk8bQ_whWrS7ZMGBBh_nGXI-eSbZS6dy4/s400/IMG_0802.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358479699484884386" /></a><br /><br />There they are....the two fishing Ryans!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvL6wdRFp2f51KnOSEfnLwSs2GoovyF2aluZkznXE8VqBXDYStE-s29B2YjqpcsIwIUWBtTHYBfoniwXRIs5DloZSQ8I3782Gn6imt5HiwDsV6CVJ74eXu2I46Q_sLVKPRdQpXfrJLGwg/s1600-h/IMG_0773.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvL6wdRFp2f51KnOSEfnLwSs2GoovyF2aluZkznXE8VqBXDYStE-s29B2YjqpcsIwIUWBtTHYBfoniwXRIs5DloZSQ8I3782Gn6imt5HiwDsV6CVJ74eXu2I46Q_sLVKPRdQpXfrJLGwg/s400/IMG_0773.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358479695354870162" /></a><br /><br />Some pictures of James fishing. I love the concentration he showed....he was really into it!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodaguxXHgy0B4Dnd6AsPUXQ1_V6TjADl_LDqsUM44rpE000HT0NZWHQRE3gfadF-x5pq_JRhZjMa2s6HTCbgc0fJAhID66937Sb5hs5mA3ZOA4vRFz72hMg9BhMqRJ3kxkwLgpfwmmOI/s1600-h/IMG_0786.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodaguxXHgy0B4Dnd6AsPUXQ1_V6TjADl_LDqsUM44rpE000HT0NZWHQRE3gfadF-x5pq_JRhZjMa2s6HTCbgc0fJAhID66937Sb5hs5mA3ZOA4vRFz72hMg9BhMqRJ3kxkwLgpfwmmOI/s400/IMG_0786.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358479690283997826" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqnu5Wey7v8htJyw47iA1LT4ocP9gEOqA-n2pSN69HnKwJcpGnxiIgBiZEcW26vWafZ8-fnlK6M0724O2mfIXQtTC8t6VhxssKYHGSboTXqFmoyhe5AsdIIx6EiCVbwuROgI1grobN2I/s1600-h/IMG_0792.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqnu5Wey7v8htJyw47iA1LT4ocP9gEOqA-n2pSN69HnKwJcpGnxiIgBiZEcW26vWafZ8-fnlK6M0724O2mfIXQtTC8t6VhxssKYHGSboTXqFmoyhe5AsdIIx6EiCVbwuROgI1grobN2I/s400/IMG_0792.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358478764107950978" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfH4qjHCXtjMdc5C4hO-gB3AXyYaP0cHZY1PN1-zV21UAsbY-jgpKPSGM8TvT2QRb9Hj95_NiS4pvQWfLeKxxgMvnJnccUgiyopq8D101Se8-NsnJGKFPXFbD9aJiFPAG27VW_aXVr1s/s1600-h/IMG_0791.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfH4qjHCXtjMdc5C4hO-gB3AXyYaP0cHZY1PN1-zV21UAsbY-jgpKPSGM8TvT2QRb9Hj95_NiS4pvQWfLeKxxgMvnJnccUgiyopq8D101Se8-NsnJGKFPXFbD9aJiFPAG27VW_aXVr1s/s400/IMG_0791.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358478755623182850" /></a><br /><br />I thought the reflections, of the clouds and mountain across the lake, in the water were amazing!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOGRBMy-duvFKnQJskKRE1pwMKrrX5FVtxqMceuqdplh_97Py95JvEuzC5lAcnYlz3llL02iECp2HX6KZeeVA-8yjtS3joGSnf7AA8NgJ1qMg4UYAXl08iglq_tdJYVbgIT8uwaAOjnk/s1600-h/IMG_0778.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOGRBMy-duvFKnQJskKRE1pwMKrrX5FVtxqMceuqdplh_97Py95JvEuzC5lAcnYlz3llL02iECp2HX6KZeeVA-8yjtS3joGSnf7AA8NgJ1qMg4UYAXl08iglq_tdJYVbgIT8uwaAOjnk/s400/IMG_0778.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358478751841937634" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbbwuVYXpE9C7GTcHnB3rQ8UhGo6MzlkV65NJUl_Skap-mNwu3eCNcjqEX71qWvProSl8hFYj2UyhIzNhxZMrPgF2PjltjwMDsyjOj8Jm34QBxbQTbJxhTSmHOIxfrsH-7YpvWyEpDmA/s1600-h/IMG_0782.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbbwuVYXpE9C7GTcHnB3rQ8UhGo6MzlkV65NJUl_Skap-mNwu3eCNcjqEX71qWvProSl8hFYj2UyhIzNhxZMrPgF2PjltjwMDsyjOj8Jm34QBxbQTbJxhTSmHOIxfrsH-7YpvWyEpDmA/s400/IMG_0782.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358478744308304210" /></a><br /><br />And I leave you with a picture of our State Flower....the Colorado columbine!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidccrTuGFQT5h81kGKaepnPqQoHX_mKBM-efjLJv6OZaMx7T3FtzGD1eAQE707Mirz1299TTKpIYJol9DfxFSqO_v6kdzrg7XyzlYEUFDrVLr_oQ4-gIR_IF7tqLrT_LCjmtxsolh3NQ/s1600-h/IMG_0781.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidccrTuGFQT5h81kGKaepnPqQoHX_mKBM-efjLJv6OZaMx7T3FtzGD1eAQE707Mirz1299TTKpIYJol9DfxFSqO_v6kdzrg7XyzlYEUFDrVLr_oQ4-gIR_IF7tqLrT_LCjmtxsolh3NQ/s400/IMG_0781.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358478741643115858" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-53895509569464867162009-07-06T17:59:00.000-07:002009-07-07T20:38:48.274-07:00WHEW!! What a LONG day!!!!!July 4th was a LONG, but fun-filled day for us!! We started out at 8am, as we headed up to Telluride, so that I could perform with the band in the Telluride 4th of July parade!! It's about an hour and half drive from our home in the valley. <br /><br />Telluride is an old, historic mining town which in the last 20+ years has been transformed into a playground for the rich and famous. Way up in the San Juan mountains, the scenery is spectacular and the land has become quite pricey, to say the least. There is a beautiful ski resort there, that attracts people in the winter from far and wide. People like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise and many others have built "trophy homes" in the area. They may visit and stay in their multi-million dollar havens a couple times a year!! (These are the houses that we fit with plumbing supplies as they are being built, at the plumbing wholesaler where I work.....our "bread and butter"!) That area provides much of the employment for our valley, both construction jobs and hotel/tourist positions.<br /><br />It is gorgeous all year round! Here is a sample of the mountain beauty!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinglORuGazEFlQ1Iksy31_ALBanf2c6wBtkMrzcWnRtXYvSx_0oKOkMgs8bPjSGBabgkFy4QZp-31N3K_1C8LohZVA9ma1-WjNzRlOkuzfWyh08kx0onI4Rm-I0qHlFOF6seP-vb5OUcg/s1600-h/IMG_0555.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinglORuGazEFlQ1Iksy31_ALBanf2c6wBtkMrzcWnRtXYvSx_0oKOkMgs8bPjSGBabgkFy4QZp-31N3K_1C8LohZVA9ma1-WjNzRlOkuzfWyh08kx0onI4Rm-I0qHlFOF6seP-vb5OUcg/s400/IMG_0555.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355519894939255634" /></a><br /><br />Here are the crowds assembling, before the parade, which was down the main street of the town....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqiwo45A4jP-xd5AtVpH2VDQLmTahcYmkChtVDsHrudMyLVQocf5HdnJQplTGjCMA1eIs84tMwU_upLWa197YNrZtvCeyMp0rSonXev3jmzcTWVAe6-t3oEFaRONq3vVRD4pwB5YHADw/s1600-h/IMG_0554.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqiwo45A4jP-xd5AtVpH2VDQLmTahcYmkChtVDsHrudMyLVQocf5HdnJQplTGjCMA1eIs84tMwU_upLWa197YNrZtvCeyMp0rSonXev3jmzcTWVAe6-t3oEFaRONq3vVRD4pwB5YHADw/s400/IMG_0554.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355519890674761794" /></a><br /><br />Dusty and James were in the crowd, with the camera, as the band went by! Being a concert band, we don't march! So they loaded us on the back of a flat bed truck and away we went!! It was a good thing that only 20 of us showed up (of the band's almost 40!), as 21 would never have fit on that truck with the chairs, music stands, instruments and people!! We had fun though, once we where settled in! We played "Washington Post March" and "The Liberty Bell", several times down the parade route!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgm8lwKDhql8r4DwcGn1CMz5M_NJNsV4-1AxlXVgawNYtHxVCUE9nJnlxNSwWW7jhFKEkAbLYbFx0yMnmm3AbdzVAxNhAhe5hOSfSqeYefKOL8_pR7NFu_FmD3Nal-j5ujcsE7XTLuVk/s1600-h/IMG_0576.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgm8lwKDhql8r4DwcGn1CMz5M_NJNsV4-1AxlXVgawNYtHxVCUE9nJnlxNSwWW7jhFKEkAbLYbFx0yMnmm3AbdzVAxNhAhe5hOSfSqeYefKOL8_pR7NFu_FmD3Nal-j5ujcsE7XTLuVk/s400/IMG_0576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355521054788780194" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_jhvVxqH8ZobzOJY8YaDBRLBqSAyMzip_ouoDRSxFxrSGH3BDTJY3BY46HIMx-lBLvao80UTTPXMz64e_3L9L4TAJuTmv6STc2BSPO2FznKdKL7zFGOuaJBJ9QPDys8g3w-TO7m23Y/s1600-h/IMG_0577.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_jhvVxqH8ZobzOJY8YaDBRLBqSAyMzip_ouoDRSxFxrSGH3BDTJY3BY46HIMx-lBLvao80UTTPXMz64e_3L9L4TAJuTmv6STc2BSPO2FznKdKL7zFGOuaJBJ9QPDys8g3w-TO7m23Y/s400/IMG_0577.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355521053537663666" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy034-H_C1vXZh-ni-DOr_19roG_9LBIqi8KPLvC29DhVXDOSosXexn-wR9d1-M1tspGAzLN7SKvImVLn8KS1e5TnvrSZGHau6TgKP-XGHyG0xScIv5vIg6I3EkmszBj1Y3BDndHnXPZY/s1600-h/IMG_0578.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy034-H_C1vXZh-ni-DOr_19roG_9LBIqi8KPLvC29DhVXDOSosXexn-wR9d1-M1tspGAzLN7SKvImVLn8KS1e5TnvrSZGHau6TgKP-XGHyG0xScIv5vIg6I3EkmszBj1Y3BDndHnXPZY/s400/IMG_0578.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355521047442198882" /></a><br /><br />We had been invited to perform for the parade and we were so warmly received! They also paid for lunch for all the band members after the parade! The local fire department put on a wonderful BBQ!!<br /><br />After lunch, we headed back down the mountain, stopping at the grocery to pick up dinner fixings before going home for showers and naps!! At 7pm, we headed out again, this time 10 miles north of us, to the town of Delta for their fireworks display at Confluence Lake! We enjoyed our picnic dinner of fried chicken as we waited for the festivities to start. Vonnie and her family, along with Stella (Dusty and Vonnie's Mom) joined us and we all enjoyed the show. Here are some more pictures from the evening!!!!<br /><br />James playing in the lake around sunset. He loves to look for crawdads!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EX951acqgtr2cSzoz1Obs2Anib6YBVBVkK_3UOjZr7-ng9HRUoGlzqj488fb-K8EAF4gVZk7ULwsrgikJHNdOsoZMzVaVfkJ7cfKKlLVV8smFVLpMcyqSFYpzPECxlaVehiSLgECUyU/s1600-h/IMG_0594.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EX951acqgtr2cSzoz1Obs2Anib6YBVBVkK_3UOjZr7-ng9HRUoGlzqj488fb-K8EAF4gVZk7ULwsrgikJHNdOsoZMzVaVfkJ7cfKKlLVV8smFVLpMcyqSFYpzPECxlaVehiSLgECUyU/s400/IMG_0594.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524824982832818" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My hubby!! :)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcJ4Y_xqQ1qgCCEASMYGj5sh0dAAzCAZPyACcDZ4xP_t6RcWY5x9vw-ASwpDv3ix4hM5WjHSB-nhg9dgzlvZLa2OfKrrrnxA6yoQq_iSfdlKpexSaDp1bTqH9H5Sq6u7yMz2ULMRN-2U/s1600-h/IMG_0596.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcJ4Y_xqQ1qgCCEASMYGj5sh0dAAzCAZPyACcDZ4xP_t6RcWY5x9vw-ASwpDv3ix4hM5WjHSB-nhg9dgzlvZLa2OfKrrrnxA6yoQq_iSfdlKpexSaDp1bTqH9H5Sq6u7yMz2ULMRN-2U/s400/IMG_0596.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524821656779410" /></a><br /><br />I love this picture of the ducks on the lake! Kind of reminds me of "On Golden Pond"!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nTD7l4zUDFy2bChwQU3DcyjF-OAMBXkWzYnUJa_m8EB5inX9Hr8M7iNmlV-b58_stkorI8WTIiMg8lT6DsIITisBZXrfoknPM1kgVTP8x_3hrC5EDkpWlHVHaOH6pZuDI-xV5FkWUi4/s1600-h/IMG_0601.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nTD7l4zUDFy2bChwQU3DcyjF-OAMBXkWzYnUJa_m8EB5inX9Hr8M7iNmlV-b58_stkorI8WTIiMg8lT6DsIITisBZXrfoknPM1kgVTP8x_3hrC5EDkpWlHVHaOH6pZuDI-xV5FkWUi4/s400/IMG_0601.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524166689527394" /></a><br /><br />My attempt at a patriotic photo! LOL<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxRtJM9Dd3G4WToz_zQEbdVD400DrQ3hq3Rt8JrP7Szo32HlKAXPM_yBeypdGHoOH6GqJNa8U27PjKFm_ia0oLkEXCZ9U5W0MHDksbmtHqllePnfMK-Sv3KXOrSVqTxXCpAqFprP1-w/s1600-h/IMG_0611.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxRtJM9Dd3G4WToz_zQEbdVD400DrQ3hq3Rt8JrP7Szo32HlKAXPM_yBeypdGHoOH6GqJNa8U27PjKFm_ia0oLkEXCZ9U5W0MHDksbmtHqllePnfMK-Sv3KXOrSVqTxXCpAqFprP1-w/s400/IMG_0611.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524158897647154" /></a><br /><br />James setting off a "Confetti Popper"....if you look real hard you can see the confetti way above him, as it's coming down!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQxcp6x_dgJ42194m80jUZ3kykqONxfnIg_P0WGzUWPrIBQM6zqaqmcPhzvKDDKK45EuVVMIhuWfY_hYP24cQzFDIjz7FZAAroRJTahqZfNeOgiaOKsusa31476NNEiyaPGQUBqkqOBo/s1600-h/IMG_0614.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQxcp6x_dgJ42194m80jUZ3kykqONxfnIg_P0WGzUWPrIBQM6zqaqmcPhzvKDDKK45EuVVMIhuWfY_hYP24cQzFDIjz7FZAAroRJTahqZfNeOgiaOKsusa31476NNEiyaPGQUBqkqOBo/s400/IMG_0614.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524161025592482" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Vonnie and Katie, having fun with sparklers!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3xoyxobfEtfypL9aikPKOKx0CVVRzhH91uX_JnBmpIYI2082lje1BW1_AYcNgx18e3QOSg94WJFXO7qBcmP7hT2Ux-BqEqQTphGN3EejZ0_nzkfSowpUCDVZxkcPMTvNbSPo8NQEg98/s1600-h/IMG_0622.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3xoyxobfEtfypL9aikPKOKx0CVVRzhH91uX_JnBmpIYI2082lje1BW1_AYcNgx18e3QOSg94WJFXO7qBcmP7hT2Ux-BqEqQTphGN3EejZ0_nzkfSowpUCDVZxkcPMTvNbSPo8NQEg98/s400/IMG_0622.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524157516890306" /></a><br /><br />James enjoying the 4th!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnPFBa_w9MIe0gIjSeZ_VQIL-Gufdl-WzXtDSBZUffBzAQSkO1D1EmsDwyf2n88OztnUH31_pE27AA-FdlOHPAnXqpv4_Ry3e2CPIfbVazv8ol7RIWB_GKqVlilMH2BRX8to1fP3aBI8/s1600-h/IMG_0625.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnPFBa_w9MIe0gIjSeZ_VQIL-Gufdl-WzXtDSBZUffBzAQSkO1D1EmsDwyf2n88OztnUH31_pE27AA-FdlOHPAnXqpv4_Ry3e2CPIfbVazv8ol7RIWB_GKqVlilMH2BRX8to1fP3aBI8/s400/IMG_0625.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355524149001343778" /></a><br /><br />Happy Independence Day to one and all!!!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-10370654797552513112009-07-06T17:13:00.000-07:002009-07-07T20:41:08.975-07:00And the Celebrating Continues!On Friday evening, we went over to Dusty's sister's house. Every year for the 4th of July, Vonnie and John host a party at their home. Neighbors gather in their driveway and we share ice cream and conversation, while Vonnie and John's son, Devon, entertains us all with a fireworks display! Where we live, fireworks are legal as long as they don't leave the ground. Only public displays are the "big shows", but we always have fun with the neighborhood party! Thanks John and Vonnie for doing this every year! It's something we all enjoy!!<br /><br />Just a good picture of James! They are so few and far between these days, as the funny faces usually start as soon as I take out the camera!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FLylUCP3iOHJelZjlt9KuhSfJZklM2UKC_MUiMDAN-XLdJCEQY-H-riaKYfdUX6qZ3W9R3pcM5PvC5yQ3LBxOAxg96W5W0NTCWNK5wEP2I2paPQWH24hyphenhyphenp5fDOibF75h-_qurU6ygxc/s1600-h/IMG_0519.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 389px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FLylUCP3iOHJelZjlt9KuhSfJZklM2UKC_MUiMDAN-XLdJCEQY-H-riaKYfdUX6qZ3W9R3pcM5PvC5yQ3LBxOAxg96W5W0NTCWNK5wEP2I2paPQWH24hyphenhyphenp5fDOibF75h-_qurU6ygxc/s400/IMG_0519.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355506463971114754" /></a><br /><br />James and his big cousin, Katie! He LOVES Katie!! He always has....they have a great relationship and for some reason she puts up with him!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbhT5jS9WvMFRzBDKgu5OmDxGvi-DKP-UPRB6GtRxnrgeTmTnLnE1Q_9wMxOT51MLZOYfV49ddtbiX9aa6FmIml83pP5gQE-7kdC-IKGbhTxQJCbRiggfX5kpoaMHFUplfdgNskczyCE/s1600-h/IMG_0525.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbhT5jS9WvMFRzBDKgu5OmDxGvi-DKP-UPRB6GtRxnrgeTmTnLnE1Q_9wMxOT51MLZOYfV49ddtbiX9aa6FmIml83pP5gQE-7kdC-IKGbhTxQJCbRiggfX5kpoaMHFUplfdgNskczyCE/s400/IMG_0525.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355506462718098258" /></a><br /><br />Making ice cream....a Ryan family tradition, especially for the 4th of July!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6-aEgJwE5lSXjdBbaviq-VM8oqQ5Fmo3JIrMLDXbU6jTryQ0VBhMd0kPy00xtkVYLPIH0xIoIFAVA8RP_bZ2zL1JIerKCNjNJZiayEyKPwqtW8YjXS5V8zczorG7YvlOeeSRrj3pRHA/s1600-h/IMG_0530.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6-aEgJwE5lSXjdBbaviq-VM8oqQ5Fmo3JIrMLDXbU6jTryQ0VBhMd0kPy00xtkVYLPIH0xIoIFAVA8RP_bZ2zL1JIerKCNjNJZiayEyKPwqtW8YjXS5V8zczorG7YvlOeeSRrj3pRHA/s400/IMG_0530.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355506460431107826" /></a><br /><br />Dusty's sister.....known as "Yvonne", "Vonnie" or "Sister", she's an important part of this family and we love her!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjcmCvXEOSpbJ-jGzHA27eMTfgFe4fUwjGmtnM806ByrjMxtrgcQWpfv5uva6g4W9tL8Q4uoAqDcJqCGwNfHqyKN8v7itZIixeCBXnzW0uW-lIXRc3VVAMUDOXNvhmVgqnDjyJ0ARX4U/s1600-h/IMG_0540.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjcmCvXEOSpbJ-jGzHA27eMTfgFe4fUwjGmtnM806ByrjMxtrgcQWpfv5uva6g4W9tL8Q4uoAqDcJqCGwNfHqyKN8v7itZIixeCBXnzW0uW-lIXRc3VVAMUDOXNvhmVgqnDjyJ0ARX4U/s400/IMG_0540.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355506459164001074" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A sample of Devon's display!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcYGmU8v-WV7SIOlotAjDShW72JlWYsWwjrDqdPyt003H7digwrFJUnjC9BoAHzFvhvEo2UjoMb8Cgy0GUInrE4AljXwJFmaPB8dlTvqnMlbJKGGYTtPo-Au3CIao_mgfstzHs_CUD20/s1600-h/IMG_0550.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcYGmU8v-WV7SIOlotAjDShW72JlWYsWwjrDqdPyt003H7digwrFJUnjC9BoAHzFvhvEo2UjoMb8Cgy0GUInrE4AljXwJFmaPB8dlTvqnMlbJKGGYTtPo-Au3CIao_mgfstzHs_CUD20/s400/IMG_0550.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355506452692652162" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-91697408092577109242009-07-06T15:34:00.000-07:002009-07-06T20:11:02.685-07:00Let the Celebration Begin!Our 4th of July celebration started a little bit early this year with the Montrose Community Band Concert the evening of Tuesday, June 30th. This time around we played patriotic faire.....lots of Sousa marches with some other pieces too! It was fun as we played outside, and though it was hot when we started out (at 7pm), it cooled off as the evening progressed. We served ice cream for a donation and people brought lawn chairs and picnic blankets, covering the lawn area behind the Montrose Pavilion....our regular venue. It was a fun evening!! <br /><br />We played "The Armed Forces Salute"....a tribute to each branch of our military. The MC asked the people in the audience to stand when the band played the theme of the branch for which they had served. It was very emotional!! We played a patriotic sing-along that was fun and also "Black Canyon of the Gunnison", a beautiful piece written for the amazing National Park that is just 10 miles down the road from us. And the favorite piece of the evening (aside from all of the old, favorite marches!) was called "The HomeFront"....a medley of wonderful tunes that were popular during WWII! What fun that was...."Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", "Thanks for the Memories", "White Cliffs of Dover" and many others!! The Swing music is sooo much fun to play and listen to and people left humming those songs!!<br /><br />Here are a couple of pictures.....<br />You can see me to the left side of Toby, our director, in this picture!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCCaq6Oz4zxEiIJnTxee4Fo3wU9lxDYBql_HkKuq33SC2qSAnT58Zi5eXX09bvRu8ZmnwJwFsLxWQn9AjkBbOt33zK-ipD1FZ9N8J_hyphenhyphen4-21n_Uh_eJsIRI_PMWp9r2nF17WSR3EAR5s/s1600-h/IMG_0496.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCCaq6Oz4zxEiIJnTxee4Fo3wU9lxDYBql_HkKuq33SC2qSAnT58Zi5eXX09bvRu8ZmnwJwFsLxWQn9AjkBbOt33zK-ipD1FZ9N8J_hyphenhyphen4-21n_Uh_eJsIRI_PMWp9r2nF17WSR3EAR5s/s400/IMG_0496.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355483085530985570" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWOy8JPn3grGKcevR2vUetaAYzt0KBiV0fueDh1Xchz1fyce9R8hnXkeGiCfzCayH3h2QIw1typqm5gubjWQgtmSTTa5RRXAIAN-ll-1ws2fcze1PW7yvzqKpRxAeJa3Tt_3GDseqKs0/s1600-h/IMG_0497.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWOy8JPn3grGKcevR2vUetaAYzt0KBiV0fueDh1Xchz1fyce9R8hnXkeGiCfzCayH3h2QIw1typqm5gubjWQgtmSTTa5RRXAIAN-ll-1ws2fcze1PW7yvzqKpRxAeJa3Tt_3GDseqKs0/s400/IMG_0497.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355483080011929650" /></a><br /><br />Here is the video that Dusty filmed at the end of the concert of the band playing, "Stars and Stripes". The quality isn't as good as the last video I posted, because we were outside and he was easily distracted! Hehehehe!! The girl that ran in front of the camera in the beginning is our niece, Katie! Then she came back towards the end and asked "Uncle Dusty" to dance!! He did, but never stopped filming....hence the swaying of the camera!! LOL He panned around so you can see the audience sitting on the lawn too. Please take note of the awesome piccolo playing by Monica! She always does a great job!! I hope you'll enjoy it!!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E5_4y2c0x6c&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E5_4y2c0x6c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-20493044314213843592009-06-28T10:08:00.000-07:002009-06-28T10:28:04.374-07:00Another ride up Escalante CanyonWe seem to be back where we started! I believe my very first blog entry was about a ride we had taken up Escalante Canyon, with photos included. We try to make this easy trip at least once a year....it's close and doesn't require us to be gone all day, and yet it's one of our favorite places to visit. It's so much like the "wild west" one would see in the old western movies. There are old, abandoned cabins along the way, where explorers had set up camp. It's easy to transport yourself back in time. <br />Both James and Dusty think it would be cool to live there. I'm not so sure. The cabins we've explored somehow give me the creeps. I'm not the time who gives in easily to believing about "haunts" or ghosts....just lets say these places leave me feeling "uneasy". I'm okay with it all during the day, but I don't think I'd be very comfortable there at night! Nonetheless, it's a beautiful place and one we all enjoy visiting!! The red rock canyon walls (isn't that which gave Colorado it's name??!!), the bright blue sky and the green of the irrigated fields and other vegitation all makes it an amazing place. I hope you enjoy the pictures I have to share from our drive........<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90p4EBI4UEus_d1a3grR7piD1XXnf05Qlf0OAkTC_GpCR9BMTnknBeS6AQFc7qE6taKfpLlrzFawGbToHQMt7bEWDDFrFhXLMv4cNEr0Qnww1B4pndEAS0Z0T8NgWHsRClHXtTuVtWN0/s1600-h/IMG_0426.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90p4EBI4UEus_d1a3grR7piD1XXnf05Qlf0OAkTC_GpCR9BMTnknBeS6AQFc7qE6taKfpLlrzFawGbToHQMt7bEWDDFrFhXLMv4cNEr0Qnww1B4pndEAS0Z0T8NgWHsRClHXtTuVtWN0/s400/IMG_0426.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352431016900686274" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nRtN7FF_7fryEtpDdiN1sA7nT2GtKDba-TKybvSzHpRepeTyLzf7VeuzOgHAwBlxqtglr_vd_GRmFUke8-0n_6R6QItl5HHJFrTiziWPVhg9RpsN6XSnAtiYuYIbhBWcaU50v70OSuo/s1600-h/IMG_0427.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nRtN7FF_7fryEtpDdiN1sA7nT2GtKDba-TKybvSzHpRepeTyLzf7VeuzOgHAwBlxqtglr_vd_GRmFUke8-0n_6R6QItl5HHJFrTiziWPVhg9RpsN6XSnAtiYuYIbhBWcaU50v70OSuo/s400/IMG_0427.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352431010274932402" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtuQfCsuhcO-9_ZuqrntSbeQ-7ivhMVC5wTlb9rbbtuZkfzJNO-DoOmqj6ld01EwV_Hz0miT4TRUnfRI_PUJgmHpbXZSLSz4xfQ-_horqfR8xSVkfzt4L4R5XYJiJ4nuZ9LLUp5iqvYE/s1600-h/IMG_0432.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtuQfCsuhcO-9_ZuqrntSbeQ-7ivhMVC5wTlb9rbbtuZkfzJNO-DoOmqj6ld01EwV_Hz0miT4TRUnfRI_PUJgmHpbXZSLSz4xfQ-_horqfR8xSVkfzt4L4R5XYJiJ4nuZ9LLUp5iqvYE/s400/IMG_0432.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352431007382321282" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaP_CJw8l7o8ncONZzQ3BPmJOx5xffZVqkz3USHngDhnJpD3nGW5bW1ZWmqEsiaWv8tiOL0zxpJkpARhLzEDpatwyGOcET85XKYdvWNQoSDfyb8mLi_lgiPfBbE2w_CPjM39O-_3j00c/s1600-h/IMG_0437.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaP_CJw8l7o8ncONZzQ3BPmJOx5xffZVqkz3USHngDhnJpD3nGW5bW1ZWmqEsiaWv8tiOL0zxpJkpARhLzEDpatwyGOcET85XKYdvWNQoSDfyb8mLi_lgiPfBbE2w_CPjM39O-_3j00c/s400/IMG_0437.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352430724067431538" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_vOwGIHEo12ZWViRUzAoW0Ks5euy3NizlhUF7lsrEJ1xmAZsahRDqxrkfgBxMZm_BZ2xNCDmvBxgbRgQS7COdCJTj1lJNb5Nk6DiQpyZc28UBm76VE97RUcu6ImQKYXa1LIqDnpkaF4/s1600-h/IMG_0443.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_vOwGIHEo12ZWViRUzAoW0Ks5euy3NizlhUF7lsrEJ1xmAZsahRDqxrkfgBxMZm_BZ2xNCDmvBxgbRgQS7COdCJTj1lJNb5Nk6DiQpyZc28UBm76VE97RUcu6ImQKYXa1LIqDnpkaF4/s400/IMG_0443.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352430722675800882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOgl2LAdvex6CBuBWHzBV8Z3aWrqLSuReBaMiUJATyUqQiDhnLtRUaVubSB6nqnFNtK6RvDEN7PsGLZODwZ7tWyOjywomJaQQHF4iqMDMclKq-qMt_iO2iy9uGJksgeu3OthgY084ZIs/s1600-h/IMG_0454.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOgl2LAdvex6CBuBWHzBV8Z3aWrqLSuReBaMiUJATyUqQiDhnLtRUaVubSB6nqnFNtK6RvDEN7PsGLZODwZ7tWyOjywomJaQQHF4iqMDMclKq-qMt_iO2iy9uGJksgeu3OthgY084ZIs/s400/IMG_0454.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352430717235874930" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgZRbSKvmqRCGS-QeUNNoaulLw0rXfRnIE8itUBJqbgjxJeWKjBd1t41ib5ufZEnlJ49y0oiMJinU1zGAj6GUkcM3Ls9Mqmf3jl1o4jEWcy8Z0wFdBw1P6ArK_VxQRMWaV1eBI2NvHkg/s1600-h/IMG_0460.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgZRbSKvmqRCGS-QeUNNoaulLw0rXfRnIE8itUBJqbgjxJeWKjBd1t41ib5ufZEnlJ49y0oiMJinU1zGAj6GUkcM3Ls9Mqmf3jl1o4jEWcy8Z0wFdBw1P6ArK_VxQRMWaV1eBI2NvHkg/s400/IMG_0460.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352430714652224082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IeSUZnNFswHf9vjC_XTvw7OUieBA5dIaVSSMGMswUpwc4WhFtOLMH9tRUI7gggl1XL1zB5iqZD2mejgemp6fHgi-DggKYk6lvTXwksIQJO1YTorfY5lSa2lICIitHDsMzf6G4rLtxEE/s1600-h/IMG_0464.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IeSUZnNFswHf9vjC_XTvw7OUieBA5dIaVSSMGMswUpwc4WhFtOLMH9tRUI7gggl1XL1zB5iqZD2mejgemp6fHgi-DggKYk6lvTXwksIQJO1YTorfY5lSa2lICIitHDsMzf6G4rLtxEE/s400/IMG_0464.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352430712710494514" /></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-35650333916158990772009-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:002009-06-14T12:23:49.916-07:00More Pictures......<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOBZhWNID51aujk4x2uK27-uDi-APoiTFZ3GcYeIJcfevOlG2D-hR8NeSCS2R0dnlc4kb9lAqznl_GcLAcKQhAmwZFscmuHh6fDiqPS1NJh_-FKOQqJNJZZfdDdpT0uyIrGf9Xrrf0x8/s1600-h/IMG_0392.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOBZhWNID51aujk4x2uK27-uDi-APoiTFZ3GcYeIJcfevOlG2D-hR8NeSCS2R0dnlc4kb9lAqznl_GcLAcKQhAmwZFscmuHh6fDiqPS1NJh_-FKOQqJNJZZfdDdpT0uyIrGf9Xrrf0x8/s320/IMG_0392.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5Fg71zCGAhXml1B_tcGSLreQotaW8G2K5p3WdK39EmKJuNv9Y2luN6jIFOhOJGfhsLp4rRyexjfm29KjjCUlb4H7CFtmgJBTnQFyeDFKsOw18hKUeI7Vrx3Npn8c79cABcz8ZWZX3dc/s1600-h/IMG_0395.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5Fg71zCGAhXml1B_tcGSLreQotaW8G2K5p3WdK39EmKJuNv9Y2luN6jIFOhOJGfhsLp4rRyexjfm29KjjCUlb4H7CFtmgJBTnQFyeDFKsOw18hKUeI7Vrx3Npn8c79cABcz8ZWZX3dc/s320/IMG_0395.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkykbQ9ihZhUJi3t2t9EoezA2gOYNheGtZcoQU7fXcYk8NgPkVNam_QNtSyS2Dr5yKvpSk5rge6on6iQ5F2Hf2p6cqkdKU16uU2xMOtI6rLg5jzxXXAm1ChJRlMVqnUMaQRTvapNX37F4/s1600-h/IMG_0398.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkykbQ9ihZhUJi3t2t9EoezA2gOYNheGtZcoQU7fXcYk8NgPkVNam_QNtSyS2Dr5yKvpSk5rge6on6iQ5F2Hf2p6cqkdKU16uU2xMOtI6rLg5jzxXXAm1ChJRlMVqnUMaQRTvapNX37F4/s320/IMG_0398.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X5W72Rptm4QGlpNzXomRF760_welMNkz5NadkTexyNaVdZnjf-VEAT0deFapK5KOMc0n5HPA_nuWFmzRfC98sJnETkM5B2MtDl8J5FzS0vaIK9RkwxHJxgZv5MM8eUXazdJt2RAyRV8/s1600-h/IMG_0400.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X5W72Rptm4QGlpNzXomRF760_welMNkz5NadkTexyNaVdZnjf-VEAT0deFapK5KOMc0n5HPA_nuWFmzRfC98sJnETkM5B2MtDl8J5FzS0vaIK9RkwxHJxgZv5MM8eUXazdJt2RAyRV8/s320/IMG_0400.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><br />In an effort to share a some more pictures with you (before I pitch my computer out the window!), here are some that I took the evening we spent with Joe's family......my mom with baby Jack (who is now 5 months old!), Juliana with her Grandma Marsha, darling Baby Jack, and James and JT.Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-73720848802779091882009-06-14T12:06:00.000-07:002009-06-14T12:13:09.623-07:00Misc Pictures<a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKOIsEsA_pCZJLTabSi6WQjhbhWT3mO6cu3m_QPnfzA4j3VdU5AT-dPuM2PirnFnE3j_Tefm73qz9PwYOk7Xj3zKXUH7U2rlb4Ik0r8BSIwotSjRDOiPTqcS0s9-bLzAN1BFNmbPj_w4/s1600-h/IMG_0370.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKOIsEsA_pCZJLTabSi6WQjhbhWT3mO6cu3m_QPnfzA4j3VdU5AT-dPuM2PirnFnE3j_Tefm73qz9PwYOk7Xj3zKXUH7U2rlb4Ik0r8BSIwotSjRDOiPTqcS0s9-bLzAN1BFNmbPj_w4/s320/IMG_0370.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcHeOYHjcnGjRYRi8IRt88YLu561aapIjtV4vtqHgaUat0CSS7kxD_BoaL_9IstqDSRS7ButlNODbzn5TH3ckqJ-k9YaScb0cs4pEp6J2lIhXkQ_Mv2-dnse7b6IgA1uCXTJOlHxaC3M/s1600-h/IMG_0378.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcHeOYHjcnGjRYRi8IRt88YLu561aapIjtV4vtqHgaUat0CSS7kxD_BoaL_9IstqDSRS7ButlNODbzn5TH3ckqJ-k9YaScb0cs4pEp6J2lIhXkQ_Mv2-dnse7b6IgA1uCXTJOlHxaC3M/s320/IMG_0378.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUJiNAoW_envBEGhJQOZeBVtq9p8KhMyOxi3eGDJPKEtVaQFhwNzyWb0ayo1txfWRqySEr_eMxJFSzD05eMXRQQEZb2eSsodHzBdDKRyE0C9RRAcsnrYUBXoirn6371IKayXuw5A8HEI/s1600-h/IMG_0382.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUJiNAoW_envBEGhJQOZeBVtq9p8KhMyOxi3eGDJPKEtVaQFhwNzyWb0ayo1txfWRqySEr_eMxJFSzD05eMXRQQEZb2eSsodHzBdDKRyE0C9RRAcsnrYUBXoirn6371IKayXuw5A8HEI/s320/IMG_0382.JPG' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> <div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><br /><br />I am soooo frustrated right now!! I'm having trouble with my Picasa program and can't seem to get it to post pictures to my blog, so please bear with me!! Here are a few pictures, taken the last couple of weeks.....James and Dusty planting corn along side our house, my "Easy-chair plumber"...Dusty putting the new faucet on the new sink before installation, and James making himself lunch....he flips a mean grilled cheese sandwich!!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-3829600230989453442009-06-14T10:19:00.000-07:002009-06-14T16:21:00.064-07:00A Visit From Nana.....and more!First of all, I owe everyone a huge apology. I've received several emails checking in with me, to make sure all is okay around here, as I haven't posted anything in so very long. The fact of the matter is that there just hasn't been much going on to write about! All is fine.....we've just been busy with mundane life! Going to work, going to band practice (we have 3 more concerts lined up soon, with all new music!!), doing home improvement jobs (Dusty's been so busy painting, planting a garden (which hasn't been doing very well due to the very weird weather we've been having!), replacing one of the bathroom sinks and faucets and now flooring, replacing the old ceiling fan in the kitchen with a preferable light fixture....the list goes on and on!) We still have the backyard to work on, which is currently piled high with tree branches that need to be burned. It is our hope to put in a campfire pit in the backyard, so that we might be able to enjoy having a campfire, without always having to go camping! Ahh, the joy of living in a more rural area!!<br /><br />As an effect of our economic times, my hours at work have been cut, adding extra stress to our family life. My 40+ hours a week have been cut back to 32 hours, just enough to enable me to keep my benefits....most importantly, my family's health insurance coverage. While I am grateful to still have my job, I hold my breath daily that I won't be cut altogether! Time will tell, I guess. I honestly feel that if I can hold on through the summer months, things will begin to improve. The building industry has really slowed in the last six months (as it has everywhere in the U.S.) but is starting to show signs of picking up again. Our fingers are crossed!!<br /><br />On a more upbeat note, my mother came to visit us this last week. We hadn't seen her in about 18 months, and we had a good visit with her! I tried to plan to do something each day she was here, but not so much that we sent her home totally exhausted. On Monday, we spent a nice afternoon in the park with my friend Cindy (James' Cub Master) and her three boys and then she went with me to band practice that evening which she really seemed to enjoy! We took her to show her James' school and she was able to meet and visit with his teacher from the school year he just completed (she's teaching summer school!). We visited a local dairy and cheese factory. We had a nice visit with my mother-in-law and visited the cemetary where Dusty's Dad is buried. On the last night she was here, we drove an hour up to the town of Grand Junction to see Dusty's son, Joe and his family. Mom had never met, Jen (Joe's wife) or any of their children! She hadn't seen Joe since our wedding, almost 12 years ago! An added bonus, was that Jen's mother, Marsha was there too. Joe and Jen just bought a home and were moving the following day, so Marsha was there to help. We brought in pizza for dinner and just had a nice evening visiting.....thank you, Joe and Jen for allowing us to descend upon you on the eve of your move!! <br /><br />I, unfortunately, did a very poor job taking pictures while she was here, partly because James has become extremely uncooperative when the camera comes out! Somehow, it's just not worth getting into a fight with him about, through I really hope that this is a short-lived phase!!! Anyway, I only got a few pictures the night we were with Joe and Jen, and very few of those are of the "appropriate" people!! I REALLY must get better at this!! And I REALLY must start spending a lot more time with my camera!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-91307559425497106662009-04-08T19:50:00.000-07:002009-04-08T19:58:20.646-07:00WOW!! I think I've Got This Video Thing Figured Out!!With a lot of help from my good friends, Helen (in Australia) and Cindy (who lives here, close to me!!) I've FINALLY figured out how to post a video here!! Many thanks, ladies!! This wouldn't have happened without your help!!!!<br /><br />Here is the Montrose Community Band during our performance on Sunday, playing the theme music to the movie "The Cowboys"! Seemed right to post something with a western theme living on the western slope of Colorado! It was the only piece that Dusty taped completely, mostly because it was fairly short. It's not quite like being there, but it gives you an idea of how we sounded. I'm doing this through YouTube, and the quality is not as good as the original, but beggers can't be choosers!! I hope you'll enjoy it!!!<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zXhe6rpJOqk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zXhe6rpJOqk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-27472208727071158452009-04-06T20:31:00.000-07:002009-04-18T09:04:53.026-07:00It's Time for Music!The long awaited day had arrived! Yesterday was my first concert with the Montrose Community Band! Were we ready? Well, I guess musicians never feel really ready....there can always be one more practice! But we went out there and performed a pretty darn good concert!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1diDVqJ02gxf31TpkRjlysZ8bvJyqUNlFzkXGXJJm4RVVpJ1eGVBUhJ_RwxAyE4R-q9tahDO77KSnro-BhszGJUZQq-Sk-qhU1MnhEE6BZcgy0pgINM_oeiRCs9UvsaQQorE4CFBbDE/s1600-h/IMG_0088.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1diDVqJ02gxf31TpkRjlysZ8bvJyqUNlFzkXGXJJm4RVVpJ1eGVBUhJ_RwxAyE4R-q9tahDO77KSnro-BhszGJUZQq-Sk-qhU1MnhEE6BZcgy0pgINM_oeiRCs9UvsaQQorE4CFBbDE/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Yes, there were those "klunker" notes, but they were few and far between and after all, none of us are professionals!!<br />Most important, I think everyone had fun and were proud of the results!<br /><br />Here I am at home, as we headed out the door to the Montrose Pavilion where we were going to perform!<br /><br /><br />And James was pretty excited too!! After weeks of going to rehersals with me every Monday night, he was going to hear it "all come together"!! He had also been given the job of handing out programs and greeting people as they entered the auditorium. You can bet that he took that seriously!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxvg5OAi-DfkTZNDm6jD8PEhF2ebkuSsSSwMpAAGOV8taF8GSuKy114qUoKmmRunPveD3Mwtf4eygAI30CWkfvRYpFivOG9tHPRg8p2dEJPN0FvspipciXAejmeRCEWtfXrbchpToPZA/s1600-h/IMG_0090.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxvg5OAi-DfkTZNDm6jD8PEhF2ebkuSsSSwMpAAGOV8taF8GSuKy114qUoKmmRunPveD3Mwtf4eygAI30CWkfvRYpFivOG9tHPRg8p2dEJPN0FvspipciXAejmeRCEWtfXrbchpToPZA/s320/IMG_0090.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dusty took 112 pictures before and during the concert, as well as 16+ minutes of video. When I'm able to figure out how to post a video clip here I will do so in the next few days! I have the perfect one.....I'm just too dumb right now to figure out how to do it!!! Anyway, I was very proud of the job that Dusty did with the camera! He not only negotiated the darkness of the auditorium and the sound issues (gee, maybe you'll get to experience that on the video!!?!!???), but he had to navigate the many heads in front of him! The zoom on the camera also got a workout, as all the pictures were taken from his seat, many rows back!! Outstanding!! Many thanks, honey, for doing such a great job and giving me so many great pictures to pick from!<br /><br /><br />Here I am, during our short rehersal, before the performance.....just working out the rough spots!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOwrEgtGaU_uhCBZHCbZ_rPS5PtGCZDfMIQ7pAZ8nHDiVRqp_1F6RGp7WQlTAaNG3yXiQGJy_lyWVqTAdqmdQIM6Ad14QmG4JbXGAg66-Gr2Liyw554rOpDCF3Sq9STBonE3T3s9IiBc/s1600-h/IMG_0102.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOwrEgtGaU_uhCBZHCbZ_rPS5PtGCZDfMIQ7pAZ8nHDiVRqp_1F6RGp7WQlTAaNG3yXiQGJy_lyWVqTAdqmdQIM6Ad14QmG4JbXGAg66-Gr2Liyw554rOpDCF3Sq9STBonE3T3s9IiBc/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And he caught this one of me looking up at Toby, our director, as he was talking to us. I usually don't like pictures of myself, but this one's okay! Not one to post pictures of myself on this blog, this is probably as much as you'll see of me in the next 6 months. I think I'll go now, and hide back behind my camera!!! See ya!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKuUkpMeDhebOVt8XVPdmOnchfcA2PVfg59xtQ_wgXWzIscCTTba0p-bW0uxaISyF6ZJSMBiPCEbx23KgNfiLebgP_8hL2p8t53_BNz6xSyDHnhTUqQVguDdqPOyS4ZhT5UUvfQyZ8Pw/s1600-h/IMG_0117.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKuUkpMeDhebOVt8XVPdmOnchfcA2PVfg59xtQ_wgXWzIscCTTba0p-bW0uxaISyF6ZJSMBiPCEbx23KgNfiLebgP_8hL2p8t53_BNz6xSyDHnhTUqQVguDdqPOyS4ZhT5UUvfQyZ8Pw/s320/IMG_0117.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-84544809236648264522009-04-06T20:07:00.000-07:002009-04-18T08:59:36.411-07:00And a few more pictures.......Here is a picture of the entire Montrose Community Band on stage for yesterday's performance. There were 38 of us there yesterday.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFnKIc48B1XWyisCb1MfDVKH5ZgOkoUoNZta8tKqT8co70A_JUL90C5H06kcrAQwF3GyWAdtIenEjFf3YekVGiue9yDqVfr2pCeO1zLyIqih7NtHS1p8QXsk4v5oGSTY021Fl7nUJOQ0/s1600-h/IMG_0151.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFnKIc48B1XWyisCb1MfDVKH5ZgOkoUoNZta8tKqT8co70A_JUL90C5H06kcrAQwF3GyWAdtIenEjFf3YekVGiue9yDqVfr2pCeO1zLyIqih7NtHS1p8QXsk4v5oGSTY021Fl7nUJOQ0/s320/IMG_0151.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's our band director, Toby King. He stepped off the podium to do a sax solo for "Catch Me If You Can". It's a jazz piece and rather difficult. Not my favorite kind of music, but we pulled it off pretty well!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdzwnn0FBsiFPmA0uxNDc7wiM3f1vknYrQ7kQtBJuFGjXhNEOILlgF4irxPxwaYHvDI_O34lKAv9jib0PgV2k_riSyH85DUSFVxEhg9FCoKrbquAGfnfFm0Ygj7qvalI9ms845pax1q4/s1600-h/IMG_0140.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdzwnn0FBsiFPmA0uxNDc7wiM3f1vknYrQ7kQtBJuFGjXhNEOILlgF4irxPxwaYHvDI_O34lKAv9jib0PgV2k_riSyH85DUSFVxEhg9FCoKrbquAGfnfFm0Ygj7qvalI9ms845pax1q4/s320/IMG_0140.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is my sister-in-law, Vonnie, with her alto sax!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr76DQ45RwJcxXEX6DNAIx4PQ5TrW_7dXrpBOAhgSoaeRirQaCXi6EZy1L2oa7Jt34Z3OOyt6BMkDoJFtXkWQmGf6Rh3J3Wd4P4pT9uBG8fNYaLANKVYHfYGolyASHNdJCUo8J684W0iI/s1600-h/IMG_0154.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr76DQ45RwJcxXEX6DNAIx4PQ5TrW_7dXrpBOAhgSoaeRirQaCXi6EZy1L2oa7Jt34Z3OOyt6BMkDoJFtXkWQmGf6Rh3J3Wd4P4pT9uBG8fNYaLANKVYHfYGolyASHNdJCUo8J684W0iI/s320/IMG_0154.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Along with playing in the band, Vonnie is also a member of a sax group that is made up of others also in the band. They played three pieces during yesterday's concert as well. Here she is playing that music......I love that Dusty caught her daughter, Katie, peering at her through the music stands!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilebVNzhFTcHt7cW5MWdLPLuD2RIF0FVWk4J22PcRmzCy7YVVBLcGUCSBKI_OllLOhjB3KZF-QN4sd9NRKS_LdyACvISUyLMTbQeOBKg_S1RzCCxEml2SDVqRss8sm5cd9cL3YD8EGutU/s1600-h/IMG_0143.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilebVNzhFTcHt7cW5MWdLPLuD2RIF0FVWk4J22PcRmzCy7YVVBLcGUCSBKI_OllLOhjB3KZF-QN4sd9NRKS_LdyACvISUyLMTbQeOBKg_S1RzCCxEml2SDVqRss8sm5cd9cL3YD8EGutU/s320/IMG_0143.JPG" border="0" /></a><div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-29907172685584819832009-04-06T16:46:00.000-07:002009-04-18T09:01:29.570-07:00It's Party Time!After the band concert, Dusty's sisters family (us included!) had planned a small surprise birthday party for her. Her 50th birthday was Friday, and we figured that the best time to celebrate was after the concert! We had the party at a lovely, new assisted living facility where Vonnie's daughter, Katie works. Vonnie was very surprised!! Besides family and friends, several band members dropped by and it was a fun couple of hours!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wFWQDlYdyZFk_xlbsI4nG3-TYWf6z9ip5a41w-EazhMGj1Bmz6H0blnnIhHt3yua9fWsMIFGD4bEhAWYwgNU8XbKz8JhaHcLm0Z_8x8r6QhmUYPo7n8RQqcCId3UU3DXhZoZOFRDQt0/s1600-h/IMG_0172.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wFWQDlYdyZFk_xlbsI4nG3-TYWf6z9ip5a41w-EazhMGj1Bmz6H0blnnIhHt3yua9fWsMIFGD4bEhAWYwgNU8XbKz8JhaHcLm0Z_8x8r6QhmUYPo7n8RQqcCId3UU3DXhZoZOFRDQt0/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is Vonnie with her husband, John and their daughter, Katie.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zZ-fgyZLc2KD59CWYSBc5qeQ1Vry8z_kL1nEmFxFbxKkrSj0oj1Bb3p9m5DcjTg5cxm-QHuIEWyCARFrPMDBOb9TFJFUMhijAn4xIHPTSb2OGHf3wKSK9e3MbiTkVS6i86gc86ir6LI/s1600-h/IMG_0166.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zZ-fgyZLc2KD59CWYSBc5qeQ1Vry8z_kL1nEmFxFbxKkrSj0oj1Bb3p9m5DcjTg5cxm-QHuIEWyCARFrPMDBOb9TFJFUMhijAn4xIHPTSb2OGHf3wKSK9e3MbiTkVS6i86gc86ir6LI/s320/IMG_0166.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The 1st clarinetist from the band joined us. Holly is an accomplished musician and is so much fun for me to watch and listen to during our practices. I "get to" sit next to her and really enjoy it. It was a pleasure to have the chance to spend some time with her away from the band yesterday, to visit and get to know her better!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXv9edEM-ghKEF9kKGvG_fv7JFcOLNA-TooEfnG7yqXzviLJQ8bNCXHLNgsELKr0PpoXXTcrKJMGKjE7YEFlne-0GhV89ERxFY4JcmtiEsey_rovmAEr1U-WHgbZDEnK2RywCXQHFhy4/s1600-h/IMG_0177.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXv9edEM-ghKEF9kKGvG_fv7JFcOLNA-TooEfnG7yqXzviLJQ8bNCXHLNgsELKr0PpoXXTcrKJMGKjE7YEFlne-0GhV89ERxFY4JcmtiEsey_rovmAEr1U-WHgbZDEnK2RywCXQHFhy4/s320/IMG_0177.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And one more family picture.....here's Vonnie with her big brother, Dusty, (yes, that's my hubby!) and two of her children, Ryan and Katie.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3FFF-HRUTV7x3u7kRhqXEiGSnellsz2jDiKiW0axqro5g6xO9vyDm7UjZtT6tXkbBTLE_eiWG7BLCsMXKNbPp2y99Y5RPK5b_QOGoaoQqPQOEE6CG1H23_MbgpF2jFG3HPH2E8pIhpc/s1600-h/IMG_0181.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3FFF-HRUTV7x3u7kRhqXEiGSnellsz2jDiKiW0axqro5g6xO9vyDm7UjZtT6tXkbBTLE_eiWG7BLCsMXKNbPp2y99Y5RPK5b_QOGoaoQqPQOEE6CG1H23_MbgpF2jFG3HPH2E8pIhpc/s320/IMG_0181.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-73706209525304747982009-03-18T20:27:00.000-07:002009-03-21T10:58:27.842-07:00A Walk on a Warm Spring DayOn Saturday morning, we woke up to beautiful, clear skies and warm <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">temperatures</span>. It's often windy here in the Spring, but on Saturday, it wasn't only warm but the air was still. It was definitely a perfect day to get outside and enjoy, as at this time of year the weather is not dependable and winter can return at any moment! So we all (Lacey included of course!) headed out for a walk in one of our favorite areas.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Uncompahgre</span> Valley (where we live) is considered a "high mountain desert", and desert it is! I'm including several photos that I took on Saturday, mostly for our far-away friends who have never visited us here, so that you can see what the "back country" looks like, when you're not in the mountains! We went walking on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">BLM</span> land.....Bureau of Land Management, which is Federally managed. There is a LOT of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">BLM</span> land close by and we spend quite a bit of time out and exploring when possible! The trail that we were on, on Saturday, is one that we've walked before, but each time we see something new!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314742296155062722" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhEKY7JyDcMOLyVRMTOvHLK9fCZDWRpk4iGjW_ewGMk67pVvCovhuQ-mOvgATx3YT-Vg15RgpeaJQtCwGHF2ta31EpOgKBIdUM60C2x2s79evHz6SWl2G5VyRJUt6EvQNyAmfYHjERec/s400/100_2890.jpg" border="0" />I especially like walking along this trail as it reminds me of the old Western movies! I half expect cowboys to ride up to the edge of the hill above us on horseback!!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ_NbdQNsgxMAGqLPHeSrpl9WLYxIn_cTZbruKOtPAd7BmaAFAkCQssp9nQOxr-G1yQK2AcKOoAdoEWKHEtlBl6LNhiOYBSKKIm0v8UiUlLiNVu2RCugEywluuYgesdyl2gIhm1GKedQ/s1600-h/100_2891.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314742287302318258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ_NbdQNsgxMAGqLPHeSrpl9WLYxIn_cTZbruKOtPAd7BmaAFAkCQssp9nQOxr-G1yQK2AcKOoAdoEWKHEtlBl6LNhiOYBSKKIm0v8UiUlLiNVu2RCugEywluuYgesdyl2gIhm1GKedQ/s400/100_2891.jpg" border="0" /></a> So dry and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">desolate</span>, even at the end of winter! We have had a rather dry winter, with little snow or rain so things are looking particularly dry already! Even though it looks like "snake country", they aren't very common. While we are always on the lookout, we've never come across one, except for the one we found in an irrigation ditch last Spring and brought home and made a pet!! (That's a whole different story!!!!)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh5IBreXySVyualyemKeHIXQcEqP2uzYyXpeqIQA7B6IKgBV9w-hwfbjGbgTiawlXHGCJDY32GUyjMJrJwF2QhL_lSrhTzIFRDQluUUZkyq3xIOIBVw4hMOeQKEZ4H8yA803-RbPckiQ/s1600-h/100_2895.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314742283229729906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh5IBreXySVyualyemKeHIXQcEqP2uzYyXpeqIQA7B6IKgBV9w-hwfbjGbgTiawlXHGCJDY32GUyjMJrJwF2QhL_lSrhTzIFRDQluUUZkyq3xIOIBVw4hMOeQKEZ4H8yA803-RbPckiQ/s400/100_2895.jpg" border="0" /></a> What a great place to take a boy who LOVES rocks!! James loves to explore here and find interesting rocks! It provides a wonderful lesson in geology and many other earth sciences.....we always end up having very interesting discussions while walking!! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">LOL</span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNj8zZhIF9UdkTVjCAoTPk7wlnI09mb9CB0bPKfLjO9JsQP5_9njZbN3V6Iv8bi8v3W2Sw6d3GiId5PQWE-qAJ338Pf07c-Z2-d7I5VFcdlkczkakt_8et92YTrGcLWz2rSy-rEnMkrU/s1600-h/100_2894.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314742273941134114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNj8zZhIF9UdkTVjCAoTPk7wlnI09mb9CB0bPKfLjO9JsQP5_9njZbN3V6Iv8bi8v3W2Sw6d3GiId5PQWE-qAJ338Pf07c-Z2-d7I5VFcdlkczkakt_8et92YTrGcLWz2rSy-rEnMkrU/s400/100_2894.jpg" border="0" /></a> Cacti grows everywhere, which provides a challenge....to keep the dog and James safe. At this point, I'm not so worried about James, as he's old enough to understand and be careful. Lacey, on the other hand, is a different story!! She'll have to figure it out on her own and I guess she will. Once or twice through a cactus patch ought to cure her!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ghb0utHy7sXSV6XHY5xcD8_ntUA89ZAewbXPb_E3xRNunO7U7LTuyIEURrkdrVpB4hReXuryZwPrQ8UJZ_4OoJnIkty3Dkz-aLmEZT52sP65Kthtz-V08okrnDCkgaeVQo9XG8yzIMI/s1600-h/100_2897.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJtpJ7ShJFf_Jrtk2s0SDUUiRehiBeTyeTFmlGyVzBBnU_YwvQt_0Fawsr_lHi_o8jLKTb8wHQdvtUfH4C2vGac5WdOg7JrwvTAYFFteFRfhLEhwFqBU-52H02VvT3VXQKg79l2evmps/s1600-h/100_2897.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314738409617723330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJtpJ7ShJFf_Jrtk2s0SDUUiRehiBeTyeTFmlGyVzBBnU_YwvQt_0Fawsr_lHi_o8jLKTb8wHQdvtUfH4C2vGac5WdOg7JrwvTAYFFteFRfhLEhwFqBU-52H02VvT3VXQKg79l2evmps/s400/100_2897.jpg" border="0" /></a> Some of the rock outcroppings on the hillsides above us are quite amazing!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z_mx0N_trWtTygI6nvqbBh0Rl1DHM9h10D2at6cRSEwSbq8wSvpp-G9chGg1zEZP3dY8b9R3q9JrlPydofcg2JstpYo00jtYDohvwFjhq0tuGWxGzIrPiuPiHeIKug-hdjcvwAqQZsY/s1600-h/100_2898.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314738406091945570" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Z_mx0N_trWtTygI6nvqbBh0Rl1DHM9h10D2at6cRSEwSbq8wSvpp-G9chGg1zEZP3dY8b9R3q9JrlPydofcg2JstpYo00jtYDohvwFjhq0tuGWxGzIrPiuPiHeIKug-hdjcvwAqQZsY/s400/100_2898.jpg" border="0" /></a> And here comes James, running up the trail, to catch up with us! That's tumbleweed growing on either side of the trail......so unusual to see it growing! Most of the time when you see it, it's blowing across the road in front of your car!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX5nIGEjbq7gTCk8gxpx6C0JUIV_Fx06E4M11Hy4fI51fcdjPRG6ZLstv3XuVEiRGHulPhAZxBynG3823CUq6Hi59TRNaqwXiraI4h3cjZ04o9NOOqE4nMz-eYXk6ApoOQ8qJ0frZGac/s1600-h/100_2907.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314738394026664770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX5nIGEjbq7gTCk8gxpx6C0JUIV_Fx06E4M11Hy4fI51fcdjPRG6ZLstv3XuVEiRGHulPhAZxBynG3823CUq6Hi59TRNaqwXiraI4h3cjZ04o9NOOqE4nMz-eYXk6ApoOQ8qJ0frZGac/s400/100_2907.jpg" border="0" /></a> James hiked up off the trail to have a look at the big rocks.....when there are rocks, they have to be explored!!! In those <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">camo</span> pants, he just about disappears!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJs2iyelCThF4UEJ-jxXC5e2_BPqN3kHaDvjcbnPtV7264uRVwc_oRaV7qtaYrOmnSV9Q6YBGghxZGs9KPRETu8EYkMs-voVqkrN3vlZ6or5IBPNbSIrz7MZpZT6-e0p43CxP352U_Os/s1600-h/100_2909.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314738389941608002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJs2iyelCThF4UEJ-jxXC5e2_BPqN3kHaDvjcbnPtV7264uRVwc_oRaV7qtaYrOmnSV9Q6YBGghxZGs9KPRETu8EYkMs-voVqkrN3vlZ6or5IBPNbSIrz7MZpZT6-e0p43CxP352U_Os/s400/100_2909.jpg" border="0" /></a> And one more of James....I stopped him as he was examining some more rocks!</div><div></div><div>As the weather continues to warm and improve, we look forward to more trips around our area!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-16101058810628920112009-03-11T19:45:00.000-07:002009-03-11T20:41:20.938-07:00It's Not That You Win, But How You Play<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2VGYZTX6cz5_dle76vJoqjPPetCPsqMDmZ5NT-RuZDDUlYTiWy1HJULN3pXkl2AYBOO6E1wjwqK1vS_opKaFu55ZR_V3pQTSMea-XW91UXtqdMvnLcpF9yYrG_ybvl0E-N0omNN6ql8/s1600-h/100_2877.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312127794277216274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2VGYZTX6cz5_dle76vJoqjPPetCPsqMDmZ5NT-RuZDDUlYTiWy1HJULN3pXkl2AYBOO6E1wjwqK1vS_opKaFu55ZR_V3pQTSMea-XW91UXtqdMvnLcpF9yYrG_ybvl0E-N0omNN6ql8/s400/100_2877.jpg" border="0" /></a> It's <span style="color:#cc0000;">really</span> hard to stand by and watch your child learn about losing first hand! James had his second wrestling tournament on Saturday and for the first time since he started wrestling, he came away empty handed.<br /><br />He worked so hard and played so fair. We were so very proud of his efforts! He is now in the biggest (heaviest?!) group in the division, which means he's up against kids who have been wrestling longer and have a lot more experience than he does. Even though he wrestled during his kindergarten year, his missing last year seems to have really put him at a disadvantage. They've all had so much more "mat time" and although he's a strong kid, his lack of experience is showing. <br /><br />He works so hard at practices and often becomes frustrated when the other kids are "messing around" as he always wants to get the most out of the practice. At the tournament, he was all business, but just came up short. He wrestled in three matches on Saturday, and all he lost, but not by much. Yes, there were tears, and times when he wasn't even sure why he had lost. With time, if he sticks with it, it'll come together.....the skill level and the understanding of the sport (which we are all learning!!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdHWolYwbB8YRiza57WFf0KubH7kQGQT_8DfllhBK6KSlhUKJ5E6XrcgXD1W-1rEqJN5k4-0WCKhB6V7KFfR7sg7TmM3cBX_1SB2152YrRGBkn-Wf_sL0CBcYLvD_hA9X91mEbYlgP-0/s1600-h/100_2879.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312127785325849378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdHWolYwbB8YRiza57WFf0KubH7kQGQT_8DfllhBK6KSlhUKJ5E6XrcgXD1W-1rEqJN5k4-0WCKhB6V7KFfR7sg7TmM3cBX_1SB2152YrRGBkn-Wf_sL0CBcYLvD_hA9X91mEbYlgP-0/s400/100_2879.jpg" border="0" /></a> What he does already possess is raw determination. I saw it on the mat during Saturday's tournament and I could see it in these pictures as I was editing them to post. (Please excuse their poor quality, as they were taken at quite a distance and my editing program leaves a lot to be desired!!) He wants to learn, he wants to do it right and he wants to win! All three of the boys he wrestled against on Saturday said he was a challenge for them and I think that helped to boost his morale, even just a little bit.<br /><br />If he doesn't get anything else out of this experience, I want him to learn more about being a gentleman, and a team player. Yes, it's nice to win, but that's icing on the cake, as far as I'm concerned. What is mandatory is to always do your very best, to cheer on your other teammates, to be encouraging to one another and to be a good sport! These are all things that we talk about away from practice or tournament time and I know he's getting it.<br /><br />And so we move forward and prepare for the next tournament on Saturday! We keep telling him, as long as he goes out there and does his best, all will be fine because it's not that he wins, but how he plays!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-52459994832354730202009-03-01T15:05:00.000-08:002009-03-01T16:33:54.130-08:00A Busy Kid....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrVQRIRtcSuL0Qs1eX_ihQdp4HS5YcWnKfeLKdlybosFl7yq2tz9CQabJETyZu4otn-FoPL-BV1XfabYQ05qI1nQkGdQEGFYavbZP-VwAI6ex_HxHc4iVzSdOCAqdipOFZzEREWeLxwc/s1600-h/100_2863.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308363002281423634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrVQRIRtcSuL0Qs1eX_ihQdp4HS5YcWnKfeLKdlybosFl7yq2tz9CQabJETyZu4otn-FoPL-BV1XfabYQ05qI1nQkGdQEGFYavbZP-VwAI6ex_HxHc4iVzSdOCAqdipOFZzEREWeLxwc/s400/100_2863.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I tend to be a homebody. I like my time at home, especially after working a full day. But somehow, in the last month or two, that precious time has been gobbled up by various extra-curricular activities. As I wrote in the last posting, my involvement in the band is our Monday evenings now.<br /><br />James continues to LOVE his Cub Scouts and swimming lessons. And a few weeks ago he started wrestling. He had done this in kindergarden (boy, they start 'em young!!), but we skipped last year. He seems very happy to be back to it this year. They have practices on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and then meets every Saturday, to compete with other kids on the western slope of Colorado. Yesterday was his first meet and he came home with a bronze medal!! Third place isn't so bad for his first meet of the year!! We were very proud of him. His big sister, Lori, came up from Denver and surprised him! He was so happy to have her there at the meet!!<br /><br />And so our weeks now fly by, being busy Monday, Tuesday, Thursday evenings and Sundays! As much as I'd like mellow home time, it's well worth it to see the big smiles on James' face as he thoroughly enjoys these various activities!!<br /><br />This picture is from yesterday's awards ceremony, when he was awarded his bronze medal!! Way to go James!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBTsEf-GIXsEdI1ic01CTv3DmdeCu_zX_YHb6rnQm3W_e_46713OgJPXn8XG7MDHl_aPF0csmU97bHj5bKB6YXW3rI0z0k6XLWULXKjnPvAOCwVbzf2NnzjEtIt7Cxw56AGJBahiKUbg/s1600-h/100_2866.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308362995951706370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBTsEf-GIXsEdI1ic01CTv3DmdeCu_zX_YHb6rnQm3W_e_46713OgJPXn8XG7MDHl_aPF0csmU97bHj5bKB6YXW3rI0z0k6XLWULXKjnPvAOCwVbzf2NnzjEtIt7Cxw56AGJBahiKUbg/s400/100_2866.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbVa1DJaZeucPZuPGvQu9opWj5OJwvEZ8aKOwv0xtVRmHBfzdHz9tgsf20IQaBJn96RISbwGKT247Vv245UBhg4_y6svsvmdTAMLexEJhJVkGgzIO1vv6PipoXH6YnfeM54bKaOkiz-Q/s1600-h/100_2863.jpg"></a>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-51229750027160165022009-02-18T18:07:00.000-08:002009-02-18T18:36:28.620-08:00A Time for MusicFor years, Dusty and his sister, Vonnie, have been after me to join the Montrose Community Band. I played the flute in elementary school, Jr. High School and a little in High School, but haven't done anything with it since. My Dad used to tease me, saying he was going to get me an attachment so that I could do the drapes, because when I played early on it sounded more like a vacuum cleaner than a musical instrument. Presumably, I did improve with time, though I was never top-notch!<br /><br />Having not done anything musical or with "organized music" in more than 34 years, I was more than hesitant to join this band. But with the family's insistance, I finally broke down. And so that's where you'll find us on Monday evenings! The band practices every Monday night at Montrose High School, which coincidentally is where Dusty is an evening custodian! James goes to practice with me and gets to sit right there in the middle of the band, as we practice. He LOVES it and sits so quiet and still for the two hours that I certainly don't recognize him as my child!! It has become one of his favorite parts of the week, and if only for that reason the experience is worth it!! He is working on drawing pictures of each of the instruments as he sits and listens to us practice, and what he comes up with amazes me! He is quickly learning and can identify the different sounds from each instrument. All of this he would never get from school in 2nd grade, so I'm glad to be able to give him the experience.<br /><br />I started at a good time, music-wise. The band does several concerts a year and when I joined, just after the holidays, they started learning a new set of music. This next concert (April 5) will be entitled, "Montrose Does the Movies" and all the pieces we are doing are movie showtunes. We are doing "Pirates of the Carribean", "Star Wars", "The Incredibles", A James Bond Medley, A John Williams Medley, "Hymn to the Fallen" (from Private Ryan), "Catch Me If You Can", "The Wizard of Oz", "Jesus Christ Super Star" and some others! Quite a line up for someone how hasn't played in 34 years!! Yikes!!<br /><br />My sister-in-law, Vonnie, plays the alto sax and her daughter (my niece), Katie, plays the flute and sits next to me, giving me moral support. And so it goes! If you're sitting around on a Monday evening, toss a positive thought in my direction please, as I will be, no doubt, struggling with a measure or two at that very moment!!!Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-35358256113022121072009-01-30T20:04:00.001-08:002009-01-30T20:22:11.313-08:00A Blog Award from a Special Friend!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkwuAZqW3ap7W4annFlMolxEXQgBa_NtSfwx4Z8IpZujHsHeDbN3g10uiNBSQHYt1FaVVgZ938p8U-yaByVJ3kLHW2uXFMhnc9pV6d8wI837P9zRblFXAhwRufD5_4cic4h2x8bI-Q5c/s1600-h/award_fra_Lissie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297304016549313650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkwuAZqW3ap7W4annFlMolxEXQgBa_NtSfwx4Z8IpZujHsHeDbN3g10uiNBSQHYt1FaVVgZ938p8U-yaByVJ3kLHW2uXFMhnc9pV6d8wI837P9zRblFXAhwRufD5_4cic4h2x8bI-Q5c/s400/award_fra_Lissie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My friend Maz, in Australia, has honored me with a blogging award. This is meant to be passed around to those who's blogs we visit often and truly enjoy. I originally "met" Maz through the scrapbooking website we both frequent and now sharing each other's blogs makes our lives so much more real to one another. That's what blogging is all about!! And so, as I think of those who's blogs I really do enjoy visiting on a regular basis, Maz must be on that list!! So "back atcha' Maz"!! And to that, I'd like to add the following blogs that I would feel empty without these days!!</div><div> </div><div>Helen H. at "Hancock Blogspot.com"</div><div>Helen M. at "Around the World With Helen and Tony"</div><div>Cindy at "The LaJoy Family....The Family That God Built"</div><div>Wendy at "Life in South Texas"</div><div>Melisa at "Whatever May Be, May Be"</div><div>Jen at "The Ryan Family"</div><div> </div><div>All of these can be accessed by clicking on the name of the person, on the list of blogs I follow, to the right here. Keep on blogging!!!</div><div> </div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-26560001772710970082009-01-29T16:36:00.000-08:002009-01-30T08:36:13.171-08:00Swimming Lessons for James!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Pr1NKGYHsISR2EiWuPW2bl_QS5BGw0wgNfEfEe4q_SoN5nMMRc7WkbMk9PJbGR2C4pYh-YHeWgh3_LtXdJxMOmUPq8Hg_EOX_TICnEwp9bVOtulKzLyJwiFt6sOy8wibq0NIErBez1w/s1600-h/100_2805.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296883214991570946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Pr1NKGYHsISR2EiWuPW2bl_QS5BGw0wgNfEfEe4q_SoN5nMMRc7WkbMk9PJbGR2C4pYh-YHeWgh3_LtXdJxMOmUPq8Hg_EOX_TICnEwp9bVOtulKzLyJwiFt6sOy8wibq0NIErBez1w/s400/100_2805.jpg" border="0" /></a>This last Sunday, James started swimming lessons! We had been wanting to do this for along time, but were never able to, due mostly to scheduling problems. Then we met Dru at Vonnie (Dusty's sister) and John's house, New Year's Eve. She's a friend of theirs and has taught swimming on and off for years. When she offered to take James on as a student, we jumped at the opportunity. She's a busy lady, but agreed to meet us at the local pool on Sunday afternoons, to spend an hour with James.<br /><br />The only lessons James has had previously was a "Mommy and Me" class that we did when he was very little. That did nothing to make him "water safe". While he goes to the swimming pool all summer long with the daycare he's in, they don't teach them how to swim and I imagine, have their hands full keeping their eyes on the many kids that they take to the pool! James, over time, has taught himself how to swimming underwater for short distances, but always insists on holding his nose.<br /><br />We really wanted him to be "water safe". For us, that may have a different definition than for those who might have a pool in their backyard or go to pools a lot. We don't. But what we do do is spend time during the summers at lakes and creeks, camping and fishing. I wanted to know that if James were ever to fall in, he'd be able to save himself!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296883215016232274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdFS_B8-KA04dAScBMgTxXLfHJmqWk9gCb55jkJjohBLKofyfIv-eCghep6MFrM05xq0DBzVYKrfwbAnhF7A_EYFia0Aja3L1QZCW7u6kuIKnMeLz8cphghpHQ1MsdPoq-b0_dLeL5zo/s400/100_2806.jpg" border="0" />After an hour with Dru, James was already starting to swim on top of the water, both on his stomach and on his back, and was trying real hard not to hold his nose! All was a vast improvement to the hour before, when he got into the pool! I think that the one-on-one with her is fabulous for him! In a class with other children, the temptation to mess around with the other kids would be strong. It's just the two of them and he really liked it!! And Mom and Dad were very pleased with the progress that we saw! And so, you'll find us at the pool on Sunday afternoons for awhile!!<br />Here are some pictures that I took during James' hour with Dru!! Thank you, Dru, for all you're doing!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DqS4q21MXTa911q_Sl2-BKW5qIo_QJKTqeKB9r7NPjY6GEZdL0mMP2ggB89jh8bsrSEIqV0iyJL0nYtMmkAGK65N9RZ9t6ibs2VvsDu3R9RSgVxPNcu-aot_nooViCOkFkgc5yFn63Q/s1600-h/100_2808.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296883211800446898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DqS4q21MXTa911q_Sl2-BKW5qIo_QJKTqeKB9r7NPjY6GEZdL0mMP2ggB89jh8bsrSEIqV0iyJL0nYtMmkAGK65N9RZ9t6ibs2VvsDu3R9RSgVxPNcu-aot_nooViCOkFkgc5yFn63Q/s400/100_2808.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg113ZOLUKEwBSJDzXs2doMLOuCG0aoBFZls4P6EBsIJDuY1iW5KIDJeCTCCAl-sGN_K1GW-adkhB-D5syfHIDNLzcEUNVoD3xnSxD_dcfIpCQsdn7KnP3_htXePvPxD1YlNVPu2Vdh2fU/s1600-h/100_2825.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296883206066282786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg113ZOLUKEwBSJDzXs2doMLOuCG0aoBFZls4P6EBsIJDuY1iW5KIDJeCTCCAl-sGN_K1GW-adkhB-D5syfHIDNLzcEUNVoD3xnSxD_dcfIpCQsdn7KnP3_htXePvPxD1YlNVPu2Vdh2fU/s400/100_2825.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjwV_s98iMLiWBhbOKaU3L-kVSZRBA8aXnShwpLfoM_dn6rNFmPFF0CqA00vDeK18hbY1yxY7jublfgK24RPIoOWamcBp8AhgTlxntLycLZNFUSuIKpbvXZJK8dJt7jPHTQPMofDIW6I/s1600-h/100_2828.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296883202189049538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjwV_s98iMLiWBhbOKaU3L-kVSZRBA8aXnShwpLfoM_dn6rNFmPFF0CqA00vDeK18hbY1yxY7jublfgK24RPIoOWamcBp8AhgTlxntLycLZNFUSuIKpbvXZJK8dJt7jPHTQPMofDIW6I/s400/100_2828.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r8E5HRNOwcDno1RJxo6HaFn8PRp14qfBu-auV5Fug2-gSDHJ7_y4fSZN2Wb_X2FsFh-A8x1-BUKiVTkkYbxLVfqOu6lX_CKIMfN3DS6V6GziCdLq4is1MgWddelWUmqk7f6nhVfcnAM/s1600-h/100_2805.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgOpIvbNNCPU4rnrqxdCVEuq65ZiK4VpYXKE8TqisadQAnMTZvwO72sdzIh9YITT5Cit7n-cIwyVY8bOM5ELWzkx5KNWa4nytpp9H2x6LQykW2txHd1qSMH8xBvaUH9YsLyjLf2WBgPY/s1600-h/100_2806.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-59966547752080984532009-01-18T10:24:00.000-08:002009-01-18T10:47:28.492-08:00We Welcome Baby Jack!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9ZemkRwBf5_3lU4XwA056tlFvuYmBLsr1IQ8d5nOLF9Pa0Tnf59Jlu1ktEBUmg764q-9SKpwWEp8Faf4SJ0XI1mWc6PmV5zaGWmxM4hGvw5fnX9-K7o8vZqQgIw5vSaX6KDQYIP7LwY/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292703518552636306" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9ZemkRwBf5_3lU4XwA056tlFvuYmBLsr1IQ8d5nOLF9Pa0Tnf59Jlu1ktEBUmg764q-9SKpwWEp8Faf4SJ0XI1mWc6PmV5zaGWmxM4hGvw5fnX9-K7o8vZqQgIw5vSaX6KDQYIP7LwY/s400/1.jpg" border="0" /></a> We are all so excited!! A week ago yesterday, on Saturday, January 1oth at 12:12pm our daughter-in-law gave birth to she and Joe's third child. We are thrilled to join them in welcoming Jackson Glenn Ryan to the family! Weighing in at 8 lbs, 1 oz. and 20 inches long, he's a precious little guy who, so far, sleeps a lot (and through anything!) and seems pretty easy going.<br />We drove the hour to their home, yesterday, to spend the afternoon/evening with them all and, of course, to take MANY pictures! They all seem to be settling in well with this new addition to the family. <br /><br />Here he is with his big sister, Juliana, and big brother JT! They both love him so much already and it shows!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyAEgVUW5VSrFl2U9pqZ7EPvOzqw9AUXQbRWO9jazL5D6KPjAtf-JN0JKygEg_Yi8D4YeaY2egNkgYOlpv4Tf4GEt9S9FtDApSwnvCKHd2XhNkRRyM75sgV5iqcyeah8lbrtLA7esFMk/s1600-h/100_2738.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292703511121552546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyAEgVUW5VSrFl2U9pqZ7EPvOzqw9AUXQbRWO9jazL5D6KPjAtf-JN0JKygEg_Yi8D4YeaY2egNkgYOlpv4Tf4GEt9S9FtDApSwnvCKHd2XhNkRRyM75sgV5iqcyeah8lbrtLA7esFMk/s400/100_2738.jpg" border="0" /></a> Here is Papa Dusty holding Jack.....pretty amazing stuff!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNgGkZbeukxViTmNjVATIZBzaz0YdD-4mnXDzz7cnpTganK-m7WNAQSld_gl8Ygwx5hcimhXJp_1V1A0JaxlcLoNNywB3vlK59GazS_L2dZl6-MY7RvqidzI9-GHPVvrMpVSc9LE9bLw/s1600-h/100_2740.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292703508929599026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNgGkZbeukxViTmNjVATIZBzaz0YdD-4mnXDzz7cnpTganK-m7WNAQSld_gl8Ygwx5hcimhXJp_1V1A0JaxlcLoNNywB3vlK59GazS_L2dZl6-MY7RvqidzI9-GHPVvrMpVSc9LE9bLw/s400/100_2740.jpg" border="0" /></a> And Nana.....yup, that's me!!! WOW!!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWNH-IZpFJy7uBMzFojCjvksdxPCnI202jCe2fEkHd0sxZ3vzdo8TDPbGJ8oZQNZrWYlFQckG3oBV711WhuPmLTRkSWHhDJgwxO9Pc2EosJbDSjDgVI0cKVyfzEGj1FBeBVF2HffSYjw/s1600-h/100_2756.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292703500182465874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWNH-IZpFJy7uBMzFojCjvksdxPCnI202jCe2fEkHd0sxZ3vzdo8TDPbGJ8oZQNZrWYlFQckG3oBV711WhuPmLTRkSWHhDJgwxO9Pc2EosJbDSjDgVI0cKVyfzEGj1FBeBVF2HffSYjw/s400/100_2756.jpg" border="0" /></a> And Uncle James taking it all in! He thought Jack was pretty cool and was fascinated by him! <br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6twykdwWGeNLNIUsFQoDN_LcbnUcgbyikXJBNdju5Q87W3xy9_dV-eR2IHjV5mLe5fCcMGZOuRE38yKTeQ1Ml24Ew-fCXuSGTveCKqT-dZW3lND6vZESGJoxaZ-EWG50fRzxd_sBL-k/s1600-h/100_2793.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292703494930195266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6twykdwWGeNLNIUsFQoDN_LcbnUcgbyikXJBNdju5Q87W3xy9_dV-eR2IHjV5mLe5fCcMGZOuRE38yKTeQ1Ml24Ew-fCXuSGTveCKqT-dZW3lND6vZESGJoxaZ-EWG50fRzxd_sBL-k/s400/100_2793.jpg" border="0" /></a> What a sweetie!! This was one of the few times while we were there that he opened his eyes, so we took full advantage of the moment. After having two children before him, Joe and Jen have been trying to figure out who he looks like (Juliana takes after Mom and JT looks a lot like Dad!). Looking through their baby pictures yesterday, we all agreed that Jack looks like Jack!! It'll be so interesting to see what he looks like as he gets older!</div><div> </div><div>We spent the day passing him around like a football, all taking turns holding him. It's a good thing he's so good natured!! One thing is for sure.....children in this family are well loved!! We welcome you, baby Jack, with open arms and love you very much already!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959342375507524599.post-45391393082260804392008-12-29T16:33:00.001-08:002008-12-30T10:42:46.720-08:00A Perfect Way to End Hanukkah 2008Being in a bi-religion marriage, Dusty and I have always tried to include both religions in our family life. We celebrate most of the major holidays in both our religions....he was raised Methodist and I was raised Jewish. Dusty has grown to truly love and enjoy many of the Jewish holiday traditions and food (just ask him about his love of gefilte fish.....and there are many Jews who won't touch the stuff!!) and sees it as very important that James be exposed to as much of it as possible! There are challenges to that, for sure, living where we do, as there are very few Jews here. The closest temple is more than an hour away and I was appalled to find that I was unable to even buy Hanukkah candles anywhere locally this year. Thank goodness for the internet!! And so, I do the best I can, with Dusty's help, to teach James about his Jewish heritage.<br />Years ago (perhaps when James was 3 or 4) Dusty told him that Jewish law stated that if your mother was Jewish, then you were Jewish. Even at that young age, James took that to heart and from that moment on any time he is asked, he proudly says, "I'm Jewish!" You can be certain that he's the only kid in Olathe, Colorado who knows the Yiddish words for sweetheart, head and thigh (OK, so Mom's knowledge of Yiddish is VERY limited, but I am making an attempt to pass it on!)!<br />We usually keep to ourselves, only occasionally sharing our holidays and foods with other family in the area. But this year I had written something about celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah here on my blog, and James' Cubmaster from Cub Scouts had sent me a comment about how great she thought it was that we did both, exposing James to both religions. She and her family are very involved in their church, and I thought they might be interested in experiencing Hanukkah, so we invited them for the last night.<br />What a wonderful evening we had! Their three boys where attentive and so polite as they took it all in.....the hebrew prayers and the meanings of all eight candles.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285379564948908386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-G02v7fLPoMU8_FZlp6toP4irLdTXVxH75wSJlfqsCPFU7mE7KyQITFxjuK7FQgSxxaAazPDeuafp2FIFqcIV7LNl1Ugo64skivTI-OTluaoTodux-ENrST6HHvlQF-q25ZWYv2GNBBM/s400/100_2655.jpg" border="0" />Kenny, James, Josh and Matt around the burning menorah. <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILZYokOnFBZDWsWaePP95GHHNldGtPqIp2eMdxFk_1QUnygYaAi-DspMkk8Pz5HCVrdx3q7RaH67L_dyEUABa3QqNfW_W1ujctVlcotbfsceQgxZl16OYX03aERD83reGrmHlmTwRa_U/s1600-h/100_2660.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285378852713166482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILZYokOnFBZDWsWaePP95GHHNldGtPqIp2eMdxFk_1QUnygYaAi-DspMkk8Pz5HCVrdx3q7RaH67L_dyEUABa3QqNfW_W1ujctVlcotbfsceQgxZl16OYX03aERD83reGrmHlmTwRa_U/s400/100_2660.jpg" border="0" /></a> Cindy reading, "Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat", a great kid's Hanukkah book to all the boys.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtTy2ixIu4Mjsk9nBpA8WMPiv0tWiUQw7WOc2bBMt1-1x8uQiwqjVgx40ulTor5Sqb1uD6SBhcf_ynQl5dGmNdp1lYR4tdYOD25e8XxzxGeH5wFCHeBu96VM8p_1IO3mEtUyDl6vXg3A/s1600-h/100_2663.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285378843942873218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtTy2ixIu4Mjsk9nBpA8WMPiv0tWiUQw7WOc2bBMt1-1x8uQiwqjVgx40ulTor5Sqb1uD6SBhcf_ynQl5dGmNdp1lYR4tdYOD25e8XxzxGeH5wFCHeBu96VM8p_1IO3mEtUyDl6vXg3A/s400/100_2663.jpg" border="0" /></a> Homemade challah (egg bread) was part of the dinner.....Dusty made the dough and I finished it off with the traditional braiding. It came out quite nice, I thought!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbPM0lLOFm2eS9662lRqkmJ2BKsjHwl9K9chplH6ZeCQ_1Vx6vW9GAuK5nlBLZ_ka4tHdhahw9u-_O4JeT2Tthyck4FayIrpE7TkdVb_OVWvyR8eEoZTMwhju8HR1cHiQtz89fEei9C4/s1600-h/100_2664.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285378835899311186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbPM0lLOFm2eS9662lRqkmJ2BKsjHwl9K9chplH6ZeCQ_1Vx6vW9GAuK5nlBLZ_ka4tHdhahw9u-_O4JeT2Tthyck4FayIrpE7TkdVb_OVWvyR8eEoZTMwhju8HR1cHiQtz89fEei9C4/s400/100_2664.jpg" border="0" /></a> We all settled in for a dinner of roasted chicken, latkes (potato pancakes) with sour cream and apple sauce, green beans and the challah. For dessert we had chocolate cake with raspberry sauce, which everyone seemed to enjoy. Maybe not your most traditional Jewish holiday meal, but the friendships that grew around those two tables warmed the souls as well as having the food fill our stomaches!</div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2BHE4PGurDO5inx6B5t2VT39z3FQqiG2wui3mIBYmgVPW6Zqjyn5GuZeEMSHUkb2fmk4jF2dwQnVp4wiCpgXw_akh1V5-f13-fFsJeBuwCi3vdVoTo4PQ7yZIg79BnqkIb1I8yyo4rc/s1600-h/100_2665.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285378832466652610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2BHE4PGurDO5inx6B5t2VT39z3FQqiG2wui3mIBYmgVPW6Zqjyn5GuZeEMSHUkb2fmk4jF2dwQnVp4wiCpgXw_akh1V5-f13-fFsJeBuwCi3vdVoTo4PQ7yZIg79BnqkIb1I8yyo4rc/s400/100_2665.jpg" border="0" /></a> We were allowed adult visiting time, too, as the boys disappeared into James room to watch "Return of the Jedi".....so much for playing the dreidl game. Enough "lessons" for one night! The boys had so much fun together! What a very special family they have!! You can read more about them, if you're interested, as I follow her blog. It's posted on my blog page as "Cindy".</div><div>So a big thank you to Cindy and her family for allowing us to share our holiday and family traditions with you! We enjoyed every minute of our evening together and hope that there will be many more in the future. Here's to sharing with new friends!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5_qZatR9YYnF3my_6-BRtb2v9iIDw_Ff4DTIpc-I9Df1771muL97APIR7OU5y9KYw0V9Y6rbmRh75aDYJbFNwAwlvuc4Bls60gM1yEEdP-0WijxGvXiGpJ4NUpURZKZsbEgTHVLQ6P0/s1600-h/100_2640.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285378825062556706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5_qZatR9YYnF3my_6-BRtb2v9iIDw_Ff4DTIpc-I9Df1771muL97APIR7OU5y9KYw0V9Y6rbmRh75aDYJbFNwAwlvuc4Bls60gM1yEEdP-0WijxGvXiGpJ4NUpURZKZsbEgTHVLQ6P0/s400/100_2640.jpg" border="0" /></a> I actually took this picture on Friday night, which was the 6th night of Hanukkah. I had 8 nights to play with my camera and the burning candles. It was a struggle! But I did like the way this one came out, with the Christmas tree and part of our village in the background. I think it makes a good statement of what our family is about!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Lenore Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17527373244563454983noreply@blogger.com6