The Graduate takes a Vacation

We made the quick trip to Thatcher to see Carleigh graduate from Eastern Arizona College with her Associates degree. It's hard to believe a 12 year old can get a college degree?

WAIT!

The kid is almost 20 years OLD!

What the...... When did that happen?

Truly, we are so proud of her. She had fun at school with some really great roommates, classmates and friends. But, she also worked very hard and got very good grades.

Congratulations Carleigh. We love you.

Grandma Keeter and Art, Kara, Garrick, Rylee and Jadyn and new baby Haymore (hum, I wonder......), Ryan, Hannah and Casey, Uncle John and Aunt Jan all attended.

While there, we were able to go through the Gila Valley Temple open house. It was special because Garrick's Mom & Dad got to be our guides through the Temple. They did a great job!

Memorial Day Weekend!

We spent the weekend in Durango, Colorado. One of the most beautiful places on earth, (at least in my opinion). We stayed in a resort between Durango and the ski area. GORGEOUS VIEWS! We got up early on Saturday and made the trek to Silverton to see the finish of the Iron Horse bike race. Family friends Shawn Snelling and Kevin Kapp were the tough guys while Dad entertained the womenfolk.

I think I got the better end of the deal!

We ate breakfast at the Brown Bear, walked around Silverton, watched all the "Characters" and then cheered as the riders started coming in at the finish. If you don't know, the Iron Horse is a really tough bike race. 50 miles of mostly uphill, some really steep uphill, riding.

We also got to hike up to Potato Lake. Along the way, there were a bunch of beaver dams and beaver lodges. Some really pretty views too.

Following are pictures of Shawn finishing in 2:47. That is fast for this race! Also, a picture of Kevin, Kiley and Makenzie Kapp. The Kapps are some of our dear friends who deserted Albuquerque for Zion, (Utah). Just kidding. We love the Kapps!

All in all, a busy, fun May.

Easter Presents????????

The Easter Bunny decided that our house needed POULTRY instead of Candy or chocolate. So, we now have Denzel, Chompy, Zippy, Chanticlare, Libby.

Don't ask me.... I didn't name them!

The "Chicken Nuggets" as they have come to be known at our house, spent the first couple weeks in a box in the kitchen. They would get daily periods of FREEDOM to roam in Lisa's front courtyard. That lasted about a week until they realized that the petunias tasted really good.

ENOUGH of THAT!!!

They have now graduated to the plastic castle on the backyard. Sahara loves to stick her head through the windows of the castle and look at them. They are not afraid of her. In fact, one even got to play COWBOY on Sahara's back.

Caden really likes to hold the nuggets. His uncle Zach told him how to hypnotize them, so he tried to put this one to sleep.

We are now officially Suburban Farmers.

Carolina Dreamin' (South Carolina that is)

The 2010 Chem-Dry Convention was held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this year. We had been hearing for the previous several weeks about how this was the coldest, wettest winter the east coast had experienced in many years, but we were SURE it would be nice and warm by the time we got there.

Well, we knew that was not going to be the case when we checked in at the convention and they gave everyone sweatshirts. DANG!

It was beautiful looking out off of our hotel balcony. Myrtle Beach has some really great beaches. Lots of white, soft sand. And very clean.

We didn't let the weather hinder us though. On Monday, we made a trip to Wilmington to tour the battleship North Carolina. Lisa and Uncle John on the deck. That was one BIG SHIP! Very interesting tour. Life aboard a battleship was a life without privacy, but amazing the technology built into a ship over 70 years old.

Lisa and I checked into our room at the convention on Monday evening. The girl at the desk said, "Oh, you have the 3 rooms." I said, "No. We just booked one." She didn't say anything else. Just handed me our keys to the room. When we got up to our room, we knew something was up. The door to our "ROOM" was double doors. When we walked in, it was the biggest hotel room we have ever been in. HOLY COW!!!!!!


The convention was fun. Lisa got to do some POWER shopping with her new friend, Margaret Mortensen and old aquaintences, the Nancy Andrus and Tamara Tanavana. One of the highlights was Thursday evening at the closing session formal dinner where they hand out the awards. We were able to present the 2010 Chem-Dry of the Year award to our good friends, The Andrus's and Tanavasa's from Oregon.

AND.... on Thursday afternoon, Uncle John and I decided we could not come all the way to the east coast, on the beautiful beach and not go for a swim. The picture is of a guy telling me that the water temperature was 46 degrees. I knew it was cold, but I really didn't need to know it was 46. Well, we still went in, genius's
that we were.

It only took about 10 minutes in the hot tub afterwards to thaw out.

On Friday morning,(the best weather since we arrived), we went for a walk on the beach. We noticed a bunch of seagulls gathering and realized they wanted us to feed them.

We took a couple of granola bars, broke them up and tossed them to the birds. It was kinda like the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds". They were everywhere. Lisa got one to eat from her hand while it was flying. We were throwing pieces of the bars up in the air and they were catching them before they even started coming back down.

All in all, it was a very fun, tiring, trip. EXCEPT for the ride home. We booked with Delta airlines and chose our seats, (I thought), way back in January. Well, if you read the fine print, it says that your seat assignments are "Subject to Change." Well, change they did!" We got to the airport and ended up with the seats in the very back of the plane for BOTH flights. Thanks DELTA. I over heard several years ago two flight attendants talking, (Not DELTA). One said to the other, "What is the best way to survive flying DELTA?" Answer - "Don't Even Leave The Airport!"

You know, I think she was right.

The Reunion is in ..... where?

Yuma Arizona!

You know. The place that is always listed as "The Hot Spot in The Nation" on the evening news. Well, let me tell you, Yuma in February is GREAT!

Especially when you get to see relatives you either haven't seen for years or some that we'd never even met.
We started off Friday and met Kara in Tucson, had a quick Eegee's, (Lisa can't get within 10 miles of an Eegee's and not stop to get a sub), and then headed off to Yuma. We arrived, checked in at the hotel, and went for dinner at the local Mexican Restaurant. The food was OK, and the company was fantastic.

Saturday morning, Kara, Ryan, Uncle Dan, Harry, Kevin and I all ran in the 5K race along the parade route. We ran with Ryan for about the 1st 50 yards and then he left us in his dust. Kara was nice enough to stay with the old fat guy, (Dad), and I finished with a personal record of 29:30. Personal record because I had never run one before:) It was fun and I would like to run some in the future, especially if Kara will be there to keep me "pushing on". After finishing the race, we met everyone at Clymer's Park. This park is the site of the boarding house where Mom and Dad met, Harry Eastlick grew up, Aunt Virginia "Ginger" owned and lots of other family history happened. The Clymer Boarding House is no longer there but the parade goes right by the park that is now in it's place. The parade was fun and Rylee scored a sweet hat, courtesy of Grandma Lisa.

After the Parade, we met back at the hotel and were briefed on the "Scavenger Hunt". Team "GREEN", (Lisa, Pat, Hannah, Grandma Keeter, Ryan, Carleigh, Rylee and Jadyn) was READY! We had visons of Survivor and The Great Race. After some trash talking to the other teams, we were off to: solve our puzzles and get pictures of specific locations in Yuma.

One place was the church where Mom and Dad were married.

Grandma and the girls in front of the Dark Cell at the Yuma Territorial Prison (no longer operational)

And the highlight of the hunt was we found an In-N-Out Burger-Animal Style! Ya, Good Stuff!

Jadyn especially liked it!

Ballet in the park? Rylee was into it. See her right in the middle of things.
We capped the weekend with dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Park's house and a beautiful Arizona Sunset.

What a great time with family. It was so fun to see people we hadn't seen for years. Why do we wait so long? How about next weekend in Albuquerque?

OK, maybe next month.

Oh Ya. As for the scavenger hunt.... we finished in last place. So much for Survivor and The Great Race. It was a lot of fun though.

El Tour Weekend

The family was very patient with Grandpa over the last weekend. He has a "Lance Armstrong fantasy" that leads to an annual pilgramage to Tucson the weekend before Thanksgiving. Since Grandpa is going to drag everyone along to help him live out his fantasy, Lisa decided to make the best of it and get in some family time, too.

The adventure started Thursday when we drove to Sierra Vista to stay with Kara and the fam, (with a side trip to pick up Carleigh at EA).

Grandpa got a "Tour de Jadyn"

Friday Grandpa got to spend some special time with Rylee and Jadyn while the girls went to see Taylor Lautner. Excuse me, I guess they went to "New Moon". All us boys heard was how "HOT" he was.

OK. Moving on to Tucson that afternoon, we got to spend the evening at Grandma and Art's place where they had a Lazangna dinner. Yummy! Just what Grandpa needed to fuel up for the big race.

Saturday 3:45AM. Grandpa awakes and heads for the starting line to get a good spot. Ryan is a good sport and goes with him to be support. We met Kevin Kapp and Shawn Snelling downtown. Hurry up and wait was the thing to do for two and a half hours. About a half hour before the race was to start, we heard a "POP" and a collective "Gasp" from the riders. Someone's tire had popped. Kevin came walking over and asked, "Do you have an extra tube?" A trip to the vehicle and some quick repairs and we're ready to go! Finally, 7:00AM arrives and the starting gun goes off and we ride for close to six hours.

The family cheers on Kev and Grandpa at the 75 mile mark.

Colleen, Zach, Ryan, Carleigh and Grandma Keeter. Thanks. It was REALLY APPRECIATED after about 4 hours in the saddle. We needed a boost about then.

THE FINISH!

5:49 A new personal record for both Grandpa and Kevin. Thanks to Kevin Kapp. Our good friend from Utah. Papa could not have ridden to that time with our Kev.

The Chem-Dry Team.

Grandpa, Kevin and Shawn Snelling. Shawn rode a 4:49, which was good for 265 overall out of almost 9000 riders. WOW! That's fast.

We then finished off the day at the Brewers for an early Thanksgiving dinner. If you look close, you'll see Rylee giving "Doggie Kisses" to Kayla. Kayla "LOVED" them of course.

It was great to see the Utah Brewers, the recently to Arizona Windhorsts, Jessica, the Haymores, Grandma and Art Keeter, Bill & Ruth, The Tucson Wallaces, Colleen and Zach, some misc friends and of course, the John & Jan Brewers who hosted 39 people at their house.

Contributing to the Economy

Ryan is a home
owner!


We took a quick trip to Mesa on October 9-11 to help Ryan get moved in. Ryan had been looking forward to this day for several months. His offer was actually accepted in July, but didn't close until early October.


Here's the place.



The Proud "Homeowner" in front of his Castle!















The Living Room, (after cleaning).














Ryan had lots of help.














Ryan's new color in his room.

Everybody loved the Awesome mural on the dinning room wall.














It was a fun, (but too quick), weekend. Grandma Beth and Art came up from Tucson, Kara and the girls came from Sierra Vista, Carleigh, (who really did help alot, I caught her during a break), came from Thatcher and Hannah came with Mom and Dad.

CONGRATULATIONS RYAN on your house!

Walking Wounded & Dog Dancing

First, the update on Lisa.

We had to call in a "SPECIALIST". Dr. Skylar.

"Wow, this is pretty cool"

Uh, Dr. The patient.

Oh Ya, I'll get to her.

"Looks good to me!"

Dr. Skylar gives Lisa the OK to start doing a "little more". Lisa tells the Doc, "I already have been; driving, weeding, watering, cleaning, attending school parent meetings, cooking and shopping."

Doc says, "I guess that qualifies as "A Little More".

Zach + Skateboard =

Skateboards, asphalt and a "Shimmy in the Trucks" don't mix very well.

Zach was moving a little slow Sunday after his mishap.

No, the red on the shirt is NOT blood. It is just a red paint.

Doggie Dancing

Dancing With The Stars? It could happen.