Pampered Chef Bridal Shower for Brenda

On May 13, we hosted a Pampered Chef Bridal Shower for Brenda and Tim. Tim did not get to be here, because he lives in MO now, but we had a nice turnout of friends and neighbors. The PC consultant was Julie Henkel, our long time friend for 25 years. Her husband, Greg, was Rowen's best friend from about 3rd grade and was the best man at our wedding. This is our neighbor, Johnnie Ullmann, our friend for 19 years, and LaDeana Desmond, my cousin.

With Brenda in this picture is Norena Hays, Maria Hays, and Sally Hays. We have known Sally for 19 years also. Her two daughters-in-law have had Brenda as their babysitter most of Brenda's time in Johnstown.This is Carmen Cruz, our dear friend from Greeley.
From the right of this picture is Sunshine Gearhart and her daughter, Tatiana. We have known them since they moved to Johnstown in 1999, I believe. Next is Paula Grzenia, a relatively new friend we have had for about 3 years. Nicole Hinkle is sitting by Paula. We have known Nicole about 3 years. We have Bible Study with Nicole and her family every other week. Bonnie Peterson is the other friend in this picture. I have known Bonnie for about 6 years. Bonnie and her husband employed Tim for part of 3 years in their restoration and rental businesses. All of these ladies are homeschoolers, and Tatiana graduated this year.

The children at the party were Phoebe Hinkle, Emily, Lexi Peterson, (to be the flower girl in the wedding), and Beth.

Brenda demonstrated some of the Pampered Chef tools making this yummy Strawberry Cream Trifle. Here she is with the finished product.
Brenda also received PC gifts from our friends, Chris Owen and Pam Lutey, who were not able to attend the party. All of our friends were so kind to purchase items that Brenda had on her wish list from Pampered Chef. It was a fun evening.

Mother's Day Picnic

For Mother's Day we had a picnic in South St. Vrain Canyon. It was our first mountain picnic of the year. We really enjoyed it, but Brenda missed Tim. We had a nice picnic, followed by a cheesecake and strawberries, yum! The only problem was that the wind came up several times, so we had to hold our plates and everything else down. After that, we sat by the river, and some of us walked on the rocks.

This is Mother standing by a precariously situated picnic table, which is not the one we used.

Around the table from left: Jeff, Jason, Bren, Beth (me), Emily, Mother. Daddy was taking the picture.
Brenda eating her last bite of cheesecake, and trying to keep it safe from everyone else.

"What are you guys looking at?"

"Ok, now everyone SMILE!"

Daddy and Mother being sweet, as usual!

Emily, Mother, and I on a rock whose top wasn't really big enough for all of us. Scary!
Me, sitting on the same rock.

Below: Through a series of scary stunts Jason crossed the river and posed on this rock.


Jason again.

I thought this was a cool picture.

Emily getting ready to throw a stick.

Spring Time in the Rockies

Yesterday, Saturday May 17th, we traveled to Red Feather Lakes, CO to further investigate several details that we needed before Tim and Brenda's wedding July 11th. While we were in that part of the mountains, we decided to go to a family-favorite camping site - not to camp, but just to see what condition the road was in, and do some hiking. It was about 70'F and clear blue sky - a perfect spring day in the Rockies. You should have been there!

I took this picture of the family standing in the gazebo behind the Chapel in the Pines www.redfeatherchapelinthepines.com/, where Tim and Brenda's wedding will be on July 11th.

After we were done at the chapel, we drove higher into the mountains north of Red Feather Lakes Village. On the way there, Brenda's keen eye caught sight of this cow moose. Can you spot it? Though you could never tell from this picture, we stopped and watched long enough to confirm the huge head and strange mouth of a moose. They are known to be in the area, but we usually don't see them. There are also mountain lions, bobcats, deer and elk in the area.

The kids were begging to go hiking, so Rowen, Jeff, Jason and Emily left the others in the car to read, while we walked ~1/2 mile to Creedmore Lake #1, then around the lake and climbed on the kids favorite rocks in our mountains...

Here they are, doing what they love to do - climbing all over these rocks on the west side of Creedmore Lake #1.

Almost to the top of the mountain in the first picture, with the lake!
View of Creedmore Lake#1 from the top

Some maps of the area where these pictures were taken; all the same area, with increasingly wide areas.

Red Feather Lakes Village, CO

Garden Planting Time!

On Friday 16-May-2008 we were finally able to get our 2008 garden started. It has been a cold spring here in northern Colorado, with frost several nights per week up until now. Finally late last week, we suddenly began summer, with daytime highs in the upper 80's(F) and nights in the 50's - so we quickly got the garden in. You will see in the first picture that the lilacs are still in bloom, but nearly done.

We planted romaine lettuce, radishes, carrots, zucchini, 16 tomato plants, 4 double rows of bush green beans, sweet and hot peppers, onions, 2 types of cucumbers. Last year we re-planted spearmint, after my cousin Katie Gafford shared several roots with us. It is coming up wonderfully! We look forward to frequent mint tea this summer.

In the pictures below, you'll see that Jeff gained some more experience with the roto-tiller, Brenda enjoyed helping, but didn't want to get her shoes dirty ;-)), and we all enjoyed working together on it. Jason also helped a lot, but nobody got him in a picture.

You all come to see us this summer and share with us the fruits of our harvest! Or, perhaps you'd like to help with canning all those tomatoes and beans in August and September!







Now we just have to water it every other day, weed it, and enjoy the harvest!

Joy's birthday picnic pictures at Schermerhorn Park, Galena, KS

On Joy's 21st Birthday, April 28, we went to Schermerhorn Park, Galena, KS for a cookout/picnic. It is a beautiful park with a river, a "mountain" hiking trail, a cave we couldn't go in, and playground equipment. Rowen and Randy barbecued brats.

It was chilly that evening. We made Quil wear a hat. He was sleepy, so he had a nap while the guys cooked. Joy and I rolled his stroller back and forth while we hummed his "naptime" tune over and over!YUM! YUM! BTW, we had cheesecake with strawberries for dessert!
Birthday girl, Joy!
Tim and Brenda were so happy to be together again. Since Tim lives in MO now, and Brenda still lives in CO, they both get lonely for each other!

The Albertson couples: Rowen and Janet, married 25 years this October; Joy and Randy, married 2 years this August; Tim and Brenda, to be married July 11, 2008!

Auntie Beth and Quil
The "Mountain" Hike
The Cave we were not allowed to enter. There are special salamanders in there to protect!!

More people pictures from our time in MO

Uncle Jason and Quil
Quil crawling
Great Grandma Scoles and Quil. She is Quil's babysitter when Randy and Joy are doing kids' ministry and calling.

Beth and Quil in the car, waiting for Aunt Brenda to come out of the store.
Quil's favorite place to sit to look out the window.

Quil loved his Aunt Emily.