April 2015

Mike started April with a two night camping/jeeping trip on the Mojave Road….
from Barstow California to Needles.  Seven Jeeps in total.  He had a great time!

We had a wonderful visit from our friend LeAnn Biggerstaff. 
LeAnn has been having health problems this winter but she is now on the mend. 
It was so good to see her smiling. 

We were so excited to have a visit from Camryn (our 15 year old granddaughter)

She is so grown up…… traveled by herself.

We spent two days in Disneyland….and we were the
happiest people in the happiest place on earth!

Such a great time with Camryn!

Camryn loves Disneyland…… and we had so much fun there
(even though all the walking almost did my knee in)

Camryn got a hug from Pluto!

On the way home from Disneyland, we went past a wildfire in the mountains…
California is very dry this year!  Traffic was terrible!

The next day we went driving.  Top down and Camryn is ready to drive.
She did a fantastic job….like I said “so grown up”

What a beautiful cactus bloom at ORI….. almost as big as a dinner plate.

Always sad…… It’s time to leave our winter home site.

First stop….St. George Utah.  Beautiful red rock country. 
We will be here for two nights.

Dinner with our dear friends…Denny and Kay Struss. 
We miss Denny and Kay and is was great seeing them.

And Denny’s ribs were out of this world!

Next we moved on to a Jeep rally in Moab Utah.  Utah is so beautiful.

We will be in Moab attending a Jeep rally for 10 days in May.

March 2015

Spring is here and I love it!

For the past several years, in March, Outdoor Resorts has it’s “Sunshine Invitational”  During this time, the resort holds several fund raising events to help fund the Coachella Valley Cancer Society.  This year, we raised $60,000. 
There are so many generous folks here.

Our ORI “Topless Cruiser Club”  had it’s first overnighter.  We had over 20
convertibles and we all went to San Diego for a really fun couple of days.   
We stayed a a great hotel.  Several of us went to a brewery for lunch.

Old Town in San Diego was colorful and very busy. 

We toured the USS Midway, docked in the San Diego harbor. 

What an interesting tour.  So much history and so much to learn. 

Mike went out with a few of the Jeepers on an overnight camping trip in the desert.  When they woke up in the morning, one of the fellas found this guy in his ball cap.  Glad he looked before putting it on his head.

The weekly Jeep trips show us the beauty in the desert.

We took the motorhome over to Phoenix for a week of

Spring Training Baseball games. 
We enjoyed the week with 3 other couples and had a wonderful time.

Spring Training Baseball.  Mike is a Dodger fan and I am an Oakland A’s Fan….
We are ready for a great week!

We saw 6 games at 5 different stadiums.  We had such great seats and we saw some amazing players….all getting ready for the 2015 season.

We saw the Kansas City Royals, The San Francisco Giants, the LA Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Oakland A’s, the Milwaukee Brewers, The Chicago Cubs, the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox’s.

One last “Topless Cruiser” trip.  We took a day trip up into the mountains toward Big Bear.  The weather in the valley has been hovering around 100 and a convertible ride to the mountains where the temperature was around 69 degrees was a welcome relief.  The mountains just a few miles north of Beaumont, CA are beautiful.

February 2015

We spent the first few days of February in Las Vegas.  This picture is of the Fremont Experience…….a screen over the closed street (made into a walking area)  We drove to Pat and Rollie’s, spent the night, then drove with them to Las Vegas for 4 days – 3 nights over Mike’s 68^th birthday……watched the disappointing Super Bowl and gambled!  Had a great time!

Mike went to the King of the Hammers off roading race in Johnson Valley.

Tony Pelligrino was Mike’s favorite racer…… He got 9^th. 
Mike had a great time.

The desert is beautiful….. and the sky is incredible. 
We have had a very warm winter.  I love it!

Some of the gals from “Thread Therapy” drove together to the
Hemet Quilt Show.  This was my favorite quilt. 
Oh – to have that kind of talent!

We went on two “Topless Cruises” during February
and really enjoyed them!
We are loving our new (to us) Mustang!

We had a great visit with Nancy Ardeel Brown, a Hilhi classmate and her friend Rog.  It was so great to see Nancy…..it felt we had visited just yesterday when it has been about 50 years!  We really enjoyed Nancy’s friend….he has many hobbies that are right up Mike’s alley!

My knee has been bothering me for several months and discovered on an MRI that I have a torn meniscus.  Feb 16^th was my arthroscopic repair/removal surgery.  Don’t I look beautiful…..ready for surgery? 
Actually just eager to get it fixed and get on with the winter.

We had a Mardi Gras parade.  Golf carts all decorated. 

We finished up February with a great concert at our resort. 
What a fun evening!

My knee is improving every day.  Still not pain free….but getting there!

January 2015

We have had a busy and really fun January.

The high desert has snow in the winter and it is beautiful.

The desert is growing on me.  I see beauty everywhere!

We were so happy to see our friends Bob and Paula on their visit to Indio.

I miss them so much.  I wish I could have spent more time with them but
unfortunately I got that nasty cold going around.

On our January “Topless Cruise”  (That’s topless as in convertibles)
we went down to the Salton Sea and had a wonderful lunch at “The Fountain of Youth”
RV park.  I tried to get some of that fountain of youth stuff….but alas it didn’t work.

While down in the area, we visited Salvation Mountain near the entrance to Slab City.

Some of our friends had never been to Slab city so we drove in a ways.  Couldn’t go too far because we were in our convertibles and the roads are too bad for them.  Slab City is an old military installation from WWII where the government put in slabs on which to pitch their tents.  The area has been abandoned for many years and now RV’ers have taken over and park their RV’s on the old slabs.  They have no hookups, no electricity.  It is a place where folks go to “drop out”.  What an interesting place. 

We were lucky to spend 4 days in Phoenix and attend Anna’s gymnastics event there.  There were 1000 gymnasts there.  Thin little muscular gals everywhere!

Look at that beautiful smile!

The meet was at the Arizona Grand…. A huge beautiful resort.  Here Anna and a couple of her friends were in front of the entrance fountain.

It was wonderful watching Anna perform!  She is amazing!

I went to the “Road to California”  southern California quilt show. 
It is getting bigger every day.  It’s huge!  We went on the first day to
avoid the crowds…… it was sooooo crowded!

So much fun!

This was my favorite quilt.  This is made from thousands and thousands of tiny pieces of fabric…..  so much detail.  All that and it only got a red ribbon! 
I would have given it “Best of Show” for sure!

Mike traveled up to the Oregon coast for his annual golf trip with the fellas.

Once again they had beautiful weather.  Who would think that in January on the Oregon coast it would be so nice!  He had a great time!

The “Desert Rats” our local off road group had a fantastic event.  It was an off road rally.  We were given vague directions and timed stop times at various locations.  We left a staggered times.  It was so much fun!  I think it was my favorite day jeeping!....ever!

Beautiful slot canyon!

At one of our last stops we hooked up with our friends the O’Connors.

Great day with great friends and great views of the desert!

Such a fun month!

December 2014

 Whew!  “2014” is coming to a close - then  ….. on to “2015”

A chocolate making class was a great way to start off this holiday month!

A lot of fun – but we all had to sample!  Of course!

We had a tree decorating party which was so much fun…. Then a few days later,
we had a “Spark of Love” Christmas Party.  Look at all these toys! 
The fire department was over joyed with all the gifts!

Our December “Topless” Cruise – (Don’t worry- it’s a convertible group!)
went down to Borrego Springs.  This is an old rusty sculpture of a stage coach. 
It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time!

The holidays are here and we want to be “home” with the kids and grandkids.  A short flight to Portland OR and we are plunged into the Christmas spirit!

But first……..

What a nasty time to have wisdom teeth pulled…..  but never fear. 
Camryn was great by Christmas day!

Many times, I’ve said, “If I lived in our motor home,
where would I put my Christmas tree?”
Well here you go……

Two trees……..A beautiful tree at Marc and Maria’s house

And another gorgeous tree at Brandon and Karen’s house!

I’m a lucky lady!  What a wonderful Christmas!

A beautiful Christmas Eve service at church in Vancouver, Washington.

Back in Indio…….Bonnie’s birthday!  Dinner with the best of friends!

We have had a wonderful 2014 and are so very thankful for our health, our great children and grandchildren and the ability to live this wonderful life.

We wish the very best to you for 2015.