December 2015

2015 is over…Time to move on

Early in the month, we went on a “off-roading” trip to this
unusual rock formation. Out in the desert is this huge rock, 

in times past, folks thought it was from outer space.

Lunch with good friends….. wonderful food, great weather.

The Mad Hatters Tea Party was a great success. 
It was a formal tea and the ORI staff dressed
in Alice in Wonderland costumes!

Fun at Monday night Taco’s with good friends,
John and “Bunny” Kearsing

December 21^st, we flew to Portland for Christmas with our kids and grandkids.
  One night we drove around looking at Christmas lights. 
Isn’t this house gorgeous?

Our two granddaughters, Camryn and Anna….. having fun!

Christmas morning, what a surprise, Camryn got a car!
Wow!  It’s a beauty!

Anna is wearing the Santa hat…
She’s all ready to start opening presents!

We drove up to The Dalles for Christmas with Karen’s family.
We had such a great time with all of them.  They are a fun group!
and it snowed!

Here’s our Fox clan ….2015.

We had such a wonderful holiday with all of them!

We are now back at ORI….  Ready for the big party tonight.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

November 2015

November has been a busy month……

October 31^st we had a fun Halloween party

November 4^th…..  back in the hospital, this time to have a kidney stone
blasted apart and removed.  I really don't make an attractive patient.

We had our “Welcome Home” party –
great party with lots of familiar faces.

Mike and I took a cruise to Mexico….. just the two of us.
First stop was Puerto Vallarta.

We went on Carnival Cruises and had a wonderful time. 
We both really enjoyed it.

The weather in Puerto Vallarta was beautiful…… high humidity but beautiful.

Cabo San Lucas was hot…… not so much humidity – a beautiful day.

We anchored in the Sea of Cortez…. Just off the shore of Cabo.

Every night we found a different towel animal on our bed.

We had wonderful dinner companions.

An outstanding trip!!

As soon as we returned, we went on a “topless” (convertible) trip up into
the mountains just out of Beaumont, California. 
We even got up into snow……  but very soon were back in the desert.

We ended the month with a great Thanksgiving with great friends.

I am thankful for each and every one of them!

October 2015

The sun is shining – just welcoming us back……

Beautiful Outdoor Resorts in Indio California….Our winter home.

One picture  that I just love.

It's Marc and Princess Camryn

Shortly after we arrived in paradise, I got really sick, really fast.
I had a very high fever…… and the next thing I knew,
I was in the JFK emergency room.
Mike had called 911 – I don’t remember any of it.  The paramedics, the ambulance ride, the admission to the hospital….. none of it. 

My diagnosis was bladder infection, kidney infections, pneumonia and sepsis. Sepsis can be very serious but it was caught in time…. They pumped me full of antibiotics, kept me 3 days and sent me home.  Thank you Mike and Thank you Lord in Heaven for watching over me.  I’m now as good as new!

Canadian Thanksgiving at the Brumbaugh’s!

A fun night at the BeerHunter…… one of my favorites!

What a fun afternoon!  Chuck and Eva and Pat and Rollie came for
lunch at Sherman’s and a visit.  It was great seeing all of them. 

October 30^th…… My big day.  68 years old!
We put the top down on the mustang and drove up to Julian (a little town in the mountains about 2 ½ hours away)  We had lunch and a piece of pie (Julian is known for their pie!)  Then dinner at my very favorite – Lilly’s Chinese Restaurant.

I had a great day!

Tonight is our ORI Halloween party!  Even more fun!

September 2015

It’s starting to get cold…… Fall is definitely here!

Labor Day weekend, we drove over to Kahneeta Resort and spent the day with Brandon, Karen, Ben and Anna along with their friends Jodi and Trevor and their two boys.  Fun Day!

The mountains are beautiful and the colors are gorgeous.

We drove over to the Portland to spend a few days with the kids before we
took off for our winter home.

Brandon, Karen, Ben, Anna and Mike all ran a 5K to benefit the
local high school.  We went to a cross country meet where we watched
 Ben and we also watched Anna as she steps up in her work with gymnastics.

 

Camryn was chosen Sophomore Homecoming Princess -
What a great honor.  We went to her soccer match (she even scored a goal)
We also got to see Colby in his football game. 
He plays almost every position!    (They won)

Brandon looks pretty happy – what a great catch!

Dinner with Tom and Vanessa Campbell – great to get together. 
Really fun people.

We also got together for dinner with our dear old friends,
Ron and Jan Herinckx.

A wonderful visit from friends who live in Alabama.

It was wonderful seeing Tom and Linda West.

Time to close up our Sunriver lot and think about heading south.

I think the deer will be happy to have the property all to themselves again.

First stop – Corvallis, Mike and his buddy Perry Swanson took in an Oregon State football game.  A couple of good looking old men having fun!  

We stopped for a few nights in Lodi, California.  We got to see our friends, John and Sharon O’Connor.  John had a hip replacement 10 days before… he is doing wonderfully.  Great to see them.

We finally made it to Indio, CA.  Our winter home.  It’s hot here!  106 today – but never the less…. I love it here.  So happy to be here!  The resort looks outstanding!  Yes the grass has just been reseeded and is still brown.  Yes it is still too hot to put in the colorful flowers….. But everything is clean, neat and looks great!

I’m so happy – Life is good!

August 2015

What a great month……Brandon, Karen,
Ben and Anna came over to Sunriver.

We floated the Deschutes River – what a beautiful day

We had the most amazing day at Crater Lake. 

There was smoke in the distance but it was clear
and gorgeous at the lake.

August 14^th we took off on our adventure with Anna.
We take each of our grandkids on a trip, to the destination of their choice,
 in our motor home, when they turn 10.

This is Anna’s year!

Arches National Park in Moab Utah
It was very hot and very beautiful!

Balancing Rock – Amazing
The rock on top weighs 3,500 tons!

While in Moab, we went to Canyonlands National Park,
it looks like a miniature Grand Canyon.

In Page Arizona, we took a tour to the Indian Reservation
and saw the incredible slot canyon.  It is so beautiful!

In Page, AZ – we took a smooth water float trip down 

the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam.  

The canyon is beautiful.

On this trip we saw some ancient Indian petroglyphs.

Next stop – Williams AZ.
We took the railroad up to the Grand Canyon.
The train was a trip in itself!  Lots of fun!

The Grand Canyon was mesmerizing.

It just goes on forever….the different colors….the history.

After two days driving  (hot driving – 108 degrees)
we arrived in Escondido, CA.  Our base for more adventure.

Our day at the San Diego was wonderful. 
So many animals and such a great zoo!

Next day we drove over to Seaworld (Anna’s favorite)

It appears to me that Seaworld takes amazing care of their animals….

The rides at Seaworld were so much fun!

The whale show (very educational) was outstanding.

One of Anna’s favorites was the Pet’s Rule Show.
The animals were adopted out of the animal shelters
and they put on a really fun show.

Day 3 in the San Diego area – The San Diego 

Wildlife Safari (Mike’s and my favorite)

We missed the gorillas at the zoo but
saw quite a few at the Wildlife Safari

Anna fed a giraffe…… up close and personal!

And then a rhino - We fed her and her
2000 pound rhino child, apples.

This is a Northern White Rhino.  There are only 4 in the entire world.
This one and 3 others under armed guard in the Czech Republic.

Final Stop – The Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield CA.
We took the tour and bought $52 in jelly beans!

We had such a wonderful time with Anna, she is a great traveler and so much fun!  These trips with our grandkids have all been great.  We get to know each of them so much better….. and we hope they have memories to last them a lifetime.