Emmett ID 7/2013

A couple of you may have noticed (probably not many more than that take the time to read our BLOG) that I have been on a BLOG strike, and, as you will notice, a picture taking strike!  I guess that I kind of got a little burned out, but now I am regretting it.  Because I use this BLOG as a journal, I feel that have missed about three months of my life.  I will try to play catch-up with the few pictures and little memory that I have!

After David's great surprise birthday weekend, we stayed a few more days at Golden Sun RV Park in Apache Junction AZ.  I spent several days putting a quilt together at the great facilities there.  I learned so much from the ladies I was sewing with.

The quilt fit our bed just right.  Now I just have to get the batting, take it home, and quilt it on my quilting frame.  I haven't done a quilt this size yet, so it should be exciting.

We left Apache Junction on May 28 and stayed one night at the St. George RV Park in Hurricane UT and then a night at Hot Springs RV Park in Garland UT.  We had to be in Idaho Falls for Marissa's (Shay's daughter) high school graduation on the 30th.

Marissa was one happy girl to be out of high school!

 

We had been excited about getting home this summer because Shay and his family were renting a home in Nampa and we were excited to be able to spend more time with him and his family.  But, Heidi and the kids were not too happy in Nampa, and because their house in Idaho Falls hadn't sold and needed to be lived in if they were going to keep it, she and the kids moved back to Idaho Falls that same weekend.  We helped them unload the moving truck before Shay, Terry, and I left Idaho Falls for Emmett.  I guess they will be commuters--Heidi and the kids coming to Emmett or Shay going to Idaho Falls every couple of weeks.  As it turned out, Heidi and the kids got to spend quite a bit of time during the summer in Emmett with us, at least until school started the end of August.

 

Ryan and Lori live in La Grande OR, which is about a 2-hour drive from Emmett.  Ryley's birthday is June 8 so we met them in Baker for a birthday bowling party for her.

It was fun and she got this crazy stuffed "monster" that she had been wanting.

 

We spent the month of June catching up on all of our doctor appointments.  Shay stayed in our back yard in his camp trailer.  There was no electrical hook-up so he had to run a long extension cord.  We had been wanting to add a 50amp service by our car port to use when we are home, so we decided to do that and to also run electricity underground down to our big shop.  That way, Shay could just back his trailer under it and have electric hook-up.  Getting through one complication after another, they finally got the job done after two weeks.  It was so good to have Shay there to help and do most of the "grunt" work!  We now have four RV hook-ups--three 30amp and one 50amp. Lorrie says that after we are all gone she is going to put an "RV Space Rental" sign and rent out the spots!

 

We also spent time this month getting ready for our Imlay Family Reunion.  My family (Fishers) are in charge of it and we are having it at the Triangle Park at Black Canyon Reservoir, where we had the very first one eight years ago, starting the 5th of July.   We are all working hard, hoping it will be a success.  The month of June went by really fast, with everything going on. 

 

Our kids started coming in for the reunion a couple of days early.  Sarah's family got here first. Lindee and Jenna are both growing up so fast!

We put our flag up when we get home, but it is kind of noisy for Lorrie since it is just outside her bedroom window, so we take it down when we leave.  JT and Luke passed off a Cub Scout requirement by taking it down (without it touching the ground). . .

. . . and folding it, with a little help.

 They did a great job!

We got some hammock chairs in Mexico and, with Ryan's help, got them put up.  The girls, Jenna, Emily, and Lindee thought they were great.  Heidi and the kids came in soon after Sarah's family got here.

The grandkids always have so much fun playing together, especially on all of ours and Lorrie's wiggle cars and scooters on the blacktopped driveway.  Luke, Tyson, and JT are going to have a race.

When Travis' family showed up, it really filled up the house!  Here is (clockwise) Travis, Spencer, Sean, Ryan, Sarah, Luke, and Josh eating lunch.

From another view (clockwise), we have Lindee, Luke, Josh, Tyson, Jenna, Emily, and Spencer.

 

Jenna and Emily found a quiet place out in the Journey and learned to sew some cards.

 

Ryan and his family showed up the day of the reunion.  Jill and her family were the only ones that didn't make it to the reunion (Dan's family had their reunion in Firth ID the same weekend), but they came later to McCormick.

 

Brother David's Surprise 50th B-day, Sierra Vista AZ 5/17/2013 - 5/19/2013

Our Mom gave each of us kids a 25th birthday party, except our brother David.  He was living in Arizona at the time so he didn't get one.  We usually go to David's house each year before we leave Arizona and park in his driveway for a couple of days, but most of my brothers and sister hadn't seen him since Mom died in 2004.  So, Lorrie got the idea of going to Arizona and giving him a surprise party for his 50th birthday--May 19, 2013.

 

We made plans for everyone (except Frank, the only one not able to come) to meet up with us at our RV park in Apache Junction.  Ron was already there and Lorrie flew in on Thursday.

Bill showed up Thursday afternoon.

Ron's son, Cameron, lives in Mesa so he hung around with us and planned to come to David's, also.

Mike and wife, Janet, flew in Friday morning.  After they arrived, all of us--Mike, Janet, Lorrie, Ron, Bill, Terry, I--all loaded up in the Journey, with the car on the dolly behind, and headed for Sierra Vista!

It was about a 4-hour trip and we had a great time talking, eating, and laughing all the way!



It was really comfy riding in the Journey and we even learned to maneuver around in it and change seats once in a while.  Although, we did have a few things end up on the floor once in a while--including almost Mike when he was trying to pass drinks around!  Lorrie even got that on video!

The guys took turns riding in the navigator's seat.  Here is Bill taking his turn.



Terry did a good job driving until he took a wrong turn and ended up on a dirt road for a few miles.  He said he was just taking a "scenic" route to show us the countryside!

 

Terry and I dropped everyone off at a hotel and left our car and dolly there with them.  We went on to David's house, parked in their driveway, and then talked David into going out to Dinner.  David's wife and son, Kari and Blake were in on the surprise and came along with us.

 

 When we walked into the restaurant, David spotted a table with people sitting with menus in front of their faces.  Then he recognized Janet as she peeked around her menu and he suddenly realized he had been had!  He was totally surprised! 

David couldn't get over that we had all come down to Arizona to surprise him on his Birthday (which was really on Sunday, but we celebrated on Friday so we could spend the whole weekend with him.)  He is sitting with Blake, Bill, Janet, and Mike.

 Ron, Terry, and I, with Kari standing behind us, are waiting for the meal to begin. 

 

We had the kind of meal that is cooked in front of you, as the chef tosses food at you that you are supposed to catch in your mouth--RIGHT!  The meal was very good.  Cameron and his girlfriend, Heather, showed up at the end of the meal (we had saved them some food.)



David got a few fun gifts from us.   Lorrie gave him a "50's" mug for his beer.

 

Mike found one of David's old logging hard hats and a wolf whistle off of one of his high school cars and brought them to him.  They were connected with some really good stories!

Terry gave him one of his first "woody" projects--a moose.  He told David he could take it up to his cabin they have in Pinetop.  What a great time we had!

 



 After spending Friday night at the hotel, everyone showed up at David's the next morning and we went to a flea market.  I think that most of us found at least one thing to buy.  Here is Lorrie, Me, Terry, Janet, Mike, Cameron, Heather, David, and Bill.

 

The next two days, everyone (Terry, David, Lorrie, Me, and a little bit of Ron)  just hung out and talked about old times.  It is amazing how many versions of the same story was told about all of us growing up!

 

David and Kari have a really pretty pool.  I, Heather, and Cameron enjoyed putting our feet in. They were thinking about getting it opened up for the season. 

 

We helped him make that decision and Ron, Cameron, and Heather even took a dip.

Bill grabbed a bit of quiet time to take a little snooze under a tree.

 

Janet, Lorrie, and I put all of our talents together and came up with some great meals the two days we stayed at David's.

 

A friendly rattlesnake came meandering up the driveway, and Cameron (being the snake man he is) caught it and found a home for it a little further away.  Bill is helping him with the job.

 

Lorrie and Ron took off on a bike ride and came back with a story about finding some horses loose and having quite a time with them!

They had actually climbed over someone's fence and took each other's pictures with the "lawn decorations"--pretty convincing when we first looked at the pictures!  We dubbed them the "horse whisperers."



 

One of our great meals--barbecued ribs!

 

Blake was going to graduate from High School in three days, so we surprised him with a little celebration and an envelope full of good wishes ($).  He was surprised and appreciative.

David had the trailer parked on the other half of the driveway we were on and somehow it just became the center of our conversations (besides being Bill's bed at night.)  Here is Bill, Janet, Terry, and I sharing stories.  

 

 We had to get a family picture (with Frank being represented by the hat on the stick) of all of the Fisher brothers and sisters in age order: Susan, Bill, Mike (Frank), Ron, Lorrie, and David.

And here is the whole crew, with Bill, Susan, Terry, Blake, Kari, David Ron, Lorrie, Janet, and Mike.

 

And a great picture with David and Blake.  I can't believe Blake is graduated and is almost as tall as his Dad!

 

Max, David's dog, has been in the family since Blake was just a little boy.

 

 Thanks to David, Kari, and Blake for your hospitality.  And, special thanks to Kari and Blake for helping us pull off the surprise.  It was great!

 

Golden Sun RV Resort, Apache Junction AZ 5/7/2013 - 5/28/2013

We got moved over to Golden Sun.  This is one of our favorite parks.  But, again, there are very few people here--only about five RVs and about 15 people or couples who stay year-round in their park models.  There are really nice facilities here and a gal named Bev keeps things going for everyone.  She does a daily water aerobics class and every Monday she fixes snacks at the pool or a meal for everyone--mostly just for a small $ donation.

 

After we got settled, our air conditioner repairman came.  After several hours of hunting, he found a "rodent" nest under our bed, close to the electrical lines.  He tried to pull the lines that went to the air conditioner and couldn't get them loose from the rest.  So, he determined that we would have to buy 50 feet of  "life line" cable and re-route it. He hooked up our air remotely where we could at least turn it on by going outside and flipping a switch.  It was so good to have a cool home again!  We overnighted the cable so he could get it fixed in time for us to take the Journey down to my brother David's for the weekend.  Well, after six service calls, 13 hours of labor, two boards, an expedited life line cable, and $2,000 later, we finally have air conditioning in the Journey again!

 

My brother, Ron, came down from Washington on Monday (we were leaving for David's on Friday) to be able to visit with his son, Cameron, who lives in Gilbert, AZ.  We took them to Mexico one day to get our year's supply of medications for us, family, and friends!  We came back with lots of sacks from the purple pharmacy and some souvenirs to take home.

 

This is the end of the Colorado River where it flows into Mexico.  The US has an agreement with Mexico for so much water from the Colorado and it has to be cleaned from all of the salt in it before it goes into Mexico.  Anyways, that is what we have been told.

 

 Another day, Cameron, with his friend Heather, took us four wheeling.  He has one big, heavy-duty, slower ATV that I drove.  (I had never driven one before.)  He has three go-fast ones that the others rode.  I kind of kept up with them, though.  I told Cameron that I liked to "smell the roses" as I rode, instead of screaming down the trail very fast.

 

We had a lot of fun.  Terry and I are ready to go!

 We are taking a break in front of this beautiful mountain.  The scenery was really something.  By the time we got back to the parking lot, it was almost dark. 



Cameron has a U-Haul truck he carries three of his ATVs in.  It works really well to have a barbecue in the back of it, with lights and everything.  Thanks, Cameron, for all of the fun!

Our RV friends, Jim and Sue, who we met several years ago, have bought a really nice little home in Mesa, AZ.  They will stay in it during the winters and then live in their RV in Oregon and Washington in the summer.  We enjoyed going to their home a couple of times while we were here, having a great meal and playing games with them.  They even shared some oranges and grapefruit from the trees in their back yard!

 Sue used to make ceramic dolls and she has them displayed in their new home.  They are beautiful dolls and were fun to see. 

We got to be with our oldest grandson, Spencer on his 18th birthday and then a few weeks later we went to his high school graduation.  We are so proud of him.  He starts college in a few days and has become a very nice young man. 

 

We also got to be with one of our youngest grandsons, Joshua, on his 8th birthday and then go to his baptism.  During the program, I was privileged to give a talk about baptism and Terry was a witness to his baptism. 

 

Travis and Shannon have a super family, including four boys:  Nathan, Nicholas, Joshua, and Spencer.

 

Josh and Nic came and had an overnight with us.  We had so much fun with them.  They are super grandsons.  We had fun playing games, eating pizza and snow cones, and swimming in the pool at our park. 

 Josh thought he looked pretty cool with all of my visors on at the same time.

 

We had a great time staying the five weeks in Apache Junction, especially getting to see Travis and his family.  We went to their home several times, they took us out for dinner one night and one night we even went to a Diamondback baseball game.  The Diamondbacks lost the game, but it was really exciting to be in their stadium and watch them play.  We will see Travis and his family again in a few weeks in Emmett at our Imlay Family Reunion.