fall in PA

I have been walking and riding my bike lately, because the weather has been very nice for Port Angeles. A little chilly,(47-53 degrees)but overcast or sunny. I like Autumn and Spring the best of the seasons. Here are some pictures of our driveway and our WONDERFUL maple tree. There is one place on the discovery trail that I ride that the trail is completely covered in maple leaves. It is beautiful!!

Also, on another note, Stu and I went to the Dallas speedway when we were in Dallas for Samantha Binns' wedding. Here is what was falling (literally ) from the sky as we sat in the bleachers. I should have put my hand next to it so you could see how large the crickets are!!!They loved the lights, and would swarm then fall to the ground. We were picking crickets off of us all night! Hurray for nature!!

ponderings

I just spent a nice weekend listening to General Conference. Because most of you know what that is, I won't go into that. But the talks and music were excellent. One of my favorite hymns is: "Oh what songs of the heart". The Tabernacle Choir sang that today. I want a group from our ward to sing that in Sacrament meeting sometime. (if I can get some people to do that!)
President Monson gave a talk on living each day to the fullest. I loved that talk. I haven't tried that until recently, because I have been "too busy" to slow down and be appreciative of all that I have. It doesn't matter that I don't have a new car, a fancy house, lots of cash or fame. I don't need or want any of those things. I enjoy the life I have. As of right now, I have everything I ever wanted: A husband that loves me (and provides our needs so I don't have to work outside the home); children that all know how to work, take care of their families, love their families, have good jobs and are intelligent and caring people; grandchildren that are loving and VERY intelligent(sometimes I feel like the child!!!); parents and relatives that are there for me when I need support; and best of all, I feel that Heavenly Father loves me. The world is a wonderful place, and even if there is a lot of unrest, bad people that do bad things to others, a lot of political fighting, etc, I still feel that my family can make it and that we will be o.k.
Kelli wrote on her blog lately , things that she misses. I want to add a few things, on my list, but not of things I miss, but things I would like to "revisit" if I could do it again. I'm afraid if I went back it wouldn't be the same as I remember, but if it were, I would: Be at home practicing the piano and having my Daddy come in and say: " I thought that was your mother playing"...such a compliment; be at the ranch and riding my horse through the woods with my dog,"Mitzy"- the best steak I ever ate was one we had over an open fire there at our campsite; going down the Yakima river with my friends on innertubes; Reading books in the summer on the dock at our cabin on Lake Goodwin; going to Grandma Binns' home and sitting in the breezeway after a hot day in Kennewick and eating sliced peaches with icecream; Holding my newborn babies - that's THE BEST feeling; eating creamcicles after picking beans at the welfare farm; kissing a boyfriend I had in highschool(sorry Stu, he was the best kisser, ever!) ; Dancing in a "dance festival" with 10 other stakes; riding in an old truck filled with garbage cans at the ranch and having the guy driving the truck dump them into the creek-we had to get out and pick them all up again; all of the great dates ( well, I can think of 3 that were outstanding); living at BYU and having all those grand experiences being on my own and living with 5 roommates! Working with my dad in a dental office and having Mr. Gaertner come in(a german baker who always smelled like cake and donuts) Having Grandpa Leishman comb my hair with his little black comb as I sat on his knee and listening to him sing; riding with Grandma Binns in the falcon to go and get milk at the dairy; camping in our tent trailer with all the kids and the only heat was the gas stove in the tent....- I could go on and on. I have had a lot of fun, a lot of sadness, a lot of everything, but that's what has made me who I am. Thanks for all of you!!!

I don't think so

I was recently at my niece's wedding and reception. My two brothers and my sister and I had a picture taken with my parents. Ever since I can remember, people have been saying," you and your sister look like twins!", and they say the same to my two brothers. I'm sorry, but I don't think we look alike. Same coloring, but body type, facial features, etc. are not the same to me. We do have some family inherited characteristics, like mannerisms and health issues, but "look alike"? hmmmm what do you think?

Here is a picture of all of us together. My two brothers: Erik (the tallest) and Matthew. Erik is 4 1/2 years younger than I am, and my brother Matthew is almost 11 years younger than I. My sister, Kristen is 8 years younger. I have also discovered that after you are older than 30, everyone is the same age (you know what I mean) until you are in your 80s. Just an observation!

Busy

Hello!

It's been a long time since I "managed" my blog. I have been traveling quite a bit, and being a grandma. I have come to enjoy traveling- didn't when I was younger, maybe because I had little kids to contend with,(viz. packing, feeding, bathroom duty, sickness, driving, etc...) and I had several health issues that made traveling not enjoyable.

Now that I'm older, have less health issues(at least I know how to manage them better) no little kids at home, no callings that MAKE me stay here, and less stress, I love going on road trips . Road trips are trips that you take with your husband , where you get into a car(or truck) and go somewhere. Sometimes we go just around the peninsula where we live and go on roads we have never traveled before. Sometimes Stu plans a trip, (like the anniversary "surprise" trips he plans for me each year around our anniversary) and we take off for 4 to 8 days on trips that are in the United states or Canada.

I like going somewhere, having a place to stay (bed and breakfast, cabin(my fave) or motel) and going around the area, trail hiking(easy day hikes) looking at the towns, eating out, and just exploring. I enjoy seeing the people and how they live in each place we visit. I like the sensations that I feel when I enter a town(city, etc) and how I relate those feelings to places I've been before, and if I'm lucky, it will be a new experience for me!!!

The only real requirements I have for feeling comfortable on a "trip" are these: bathrooms available, choice of food, reliable transportation, my husband and my dyne(down comforter). (I do enjoy going on trips to visit grandchildren , and I don't require the husband on THESE trips!!)

If all of these things are included, I have a great time!!!

See if you and your significant other can plan a road trip sometime soon. Take a sunday afternoon and drive somewhere you haven't been before,zans kids or with kids. You'd be surprised how they enjoy going places and being out of the house!!!(fresh air is THE BEST!!)

Here are some pictures I have of some places we have been- beautiful, this world we live in, don't you agree!!