A 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!!

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!!

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!!

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!!