Saturday, November 28, 2009

Another World





We had so much fun hiking today not far from our house...







We have been wanting to explore the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve just on the other side of the 15....







Unfortunately to get to the other side of the 15 you have to go through a viaduct under the expressway...



We finally did it today!

























I can't believe I was able to go through this viaduct considering my claus-trophobia






& the vertigo

I get walking in the dark... I didn't even consider rattle-snakes until we were on the other side...








The picture of Ray just below here

is only a few hundred feet

West of the 15.




















The rock formations are amazing!


It's quiet and serene...


A great place to pray...


It truly feels like you have entered


into another world!














Check out the lacy pattern formed in

the rock below & to the right.


I wish I would have taken a closer shot of that. It was beautiful...

















Luckily it's cool out... OK it's currently 60 but it was a lot cooler when we went out at 9:15 a.m. so I tried to pretend coming back that it was too cold for rattle snakes in the dark tunnel underground...


I can't wait to take everyone exploring who comes to visit in a few weeks ...


...or months !


We love living in our Zion Paradise!


MaMa (Sister) Sue

Friday, November 27, 2009

Addison's Visit

ADDY & GRANDPA RAY



COWGIRL ADDY



ADDY & NANA SUE




ADDY & AUNT KARI



ADDY & AUNT ANNIE


Sorry... I know Ray already posted a message about Addison's visit but I wanted to add a few photo's from my camera. We had so much fun with her and are anxious to have her back again at Christmas time. We are so happy that when she isn't with us she is getting lots of Montana attention from Grandma & Grandpa Urick. She is the first grandbaby for their family. We are so grateful to them for caring for Sherri & the baby while Sherri recovered from her C-section, Swine Flu and Gallbladder removal.... all in 3 months! Yikes! I can't imagine what Sherri & Talon would have done without them...

Love, Mama (or Nana, Sister or Aunt) Sue

P.S. Grandpa Ray is an amazing Grandpa. He absolutely adores the kids (as if you can't tell by his blog posts). The other morning Sherri was in the shower. As I was walking out into the family room I heard Ray speaking quietly to someone. I assumed he was on his cell phone. Then I realized what he was softly whispering... "You know I can't resist you!". I marched out into the room to discover who my competition was and found him on the floor having a face-to-face bonding session with Addison! (I love this man...)












Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Family Fun

We had a great week and weekend last week. First Sherri and Addison came to visit us for a whole week. They were able to visit with her sister Kari's family as well as us. We even got to take Sherri out by herself for dinner at our city's best restaurant...the Painted Pony. We had a real nice time. Thanks Kari and Will for watching Addison...We know it was a tough job...but...someone had to do it.

Addison is such a cute baby...a real doll. She looks an awful lot like her cute mommy, Sherri. We had such a great time getting to know this little treasure of a girl. She definitely has her own personality. She is such a happy baby (you can tell she has great parents), but she will definitely let you know when she is hungry, tired, wet, or other-wised generally displeased with one thing or the other.

It was obvious to all of us that Sherri is a great little mom who adores this baby. Sherri brought this little ingenious piece of clothing called a "hooter hider", that, well, hid her hooters while she was feeding the baby...what a great idea....and...you just gotta love the name :)

Brett and Annie came ot visit us for the weekend on their way up to Brett's parent's home to enjoy Thanksgiving. On Saturday we all (Brett, Annie, Sherri, Addison, Kari, Will, Payton, Brinly, Bronson, Eli, Will's sister Becca, her husband,  Sue, and I) all went over to the Ivins area to check out this great Petroglyph site. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and saw a glimpse into almost 1000 years of history. After that, some of the group went over to the yearly "Jubilee of Trees" fundraiser where they auction off these beautifully decorated Christmas trees. After that, everyone came back to our place fora steak dinner

After a long day of church, we all got together at our place again to share some pretty good pot roast and sit around and veg. Brett and Annie took off after dinner and Sherri and Addison packed up and headed out on Monday morning. Here's a shout out to Brett and Annie for bringing me back a bottle of this great mustard BBQ sauce that they bought on their trip to South Carolina..it was great...especially on that grilled/fried bologna sandwich we had....Mmmmmm good! 

We had a really great time with our family. Now it's time to spend Thanksgiving with those that we care about. Most everyone is headed to family in some direction or the other. Sue and I will be staying home and having Chris, Alicia, and the kids over Thanksgiving dinner, then on Friday, Chris and I are going golfing...kind of a quasi-traditon of sorts. Jimmy and Hollie and kids will be coming over sometime this weekend to help us eat our leftovers :)


Sherri's new baby, Addison! Isn't she a doll?
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

John's Memorial Service and other Florida Family Business


My sister and I with my nephew Mitchell

 
Sue and my nephew Mitchell


My sister Nancy with my nephew Ronnie's fiance and their baby, Elaina


My Sister and I with her son's fiance, Samantha

Me in front of my parent's crypts

 

 John Indrunas' honor guard



John's bugler, ready top play "taps"



Sue, Lori & Tom at the site of the service



Honor Guard presenting Lori with the flag



Father Pedro & John's ashes

 
Some candid family photos




 









 

 

 

 

 
Sue with Guy's mom, Connie (the Gagliardi girls have  a lot of resemblance to this sweet little lady)




 
Tom & Lori's Kids



Ray, Sue, Tom, Lori, and Gary







The whole fandamnily



Lori, Tom, and Sue

 


Sue and I recently had a chance to travel to Florida to attend her father's memorial service. While we were there we also stopped by my sister's place in Clearwater so that Sue and my sister Nancy could meet. We also met my nephew Ronnie's fiance, Samantha, and their baby girl, Elaina. My youngest  nephew, Mitchell, also stopped by to visit. We were only there for a couple of hours but it was a nice time.

We spent most of our time in Mulberry, which is a suburb of Lakeland to tend to family business concenring the recent death of Sue's dad, John. It was a great time to reconnect wiht family and friends alike. I got a chance to meet Sue's brother Tom, and his kids for the first time...real nice family. It was great seeing Sue's sister Lori, husband Gary, and daughter Danielle again. I also met their son Rocky for the first time and his girlfriend, Amanda.

We did get a chance to stop by and visit Sue's mother-in-law (guy's mom), Connie. We took her out for some ice cream. What a sweet little lady. I enjoyed meeting her, that was a treat. 

The service went very well and everyone worked very hard getting John's home in order to rent/sell.

Here's some photos from the week. Enjoy Everybody

Monday, November 9, 2009

A "Spooktacular" Halloween






































Did I ever tell you that I love Halloween. I love seeing the kids dressed up, I love the excitement, I love it that Halloween kind of rings in the holiday season for me. We had our annual ward "trunk or treat" party at our ward. wards participated and we easily had over 500 people attend. Lots of homemade chili and root beer for everyone.

After the party we went over to Jimmy and Hollie's where they had their annual Halloween party. They decorate their home in a pirate theme and really do it up great. People stop to take photos of their house. We had lots of fun. Kari, Will and the kids were able to stop by too. Chris, Alicia and the kids had a fun weekend in Las Vegas with the kids so missed seeing them on Halloween night but Chris brought them by the night before in their costumes. Even thought we didn't get to see our other family members who live far away, we did get some great photos of them to post and enjoy. Enjoy the photos of family and friends. I think I have at least one picture of all of the grandkids.

Sue & Ray's Zion Paradise

Sue & Ray's Zion Paradise