The Rim

The wild flowers are everywhere, and the meadow next to our camp site was tall grass and white flowers. The weather was cool, and some clouds to keep us out of the sun, and we just loved every minute of it. We read, and ate, and read some more. We took 3 walks a day, morning, noon and evening. It felt so good to hike again and not hurt. I actually found I was a little stiff in my bottom and belly! I haven't felt that in years. So I am so grateful my knee is healing so fast and I am able to do so much more. I love the rim country!

We put an awning over the dog pen so they had shade all day too. They chewed on pigs ears, and they each found on elk bone to chew on, so they were happy too. When we went for our walks they were off the leash and ran and romped through the grass and flowers. We have many cute photos of them, but they are the ones that you would might think our dogs are very spoiled, and couldn't we find anything else to take a photo of... and you would be right. We took over a hundred photos of the dogs playing...... I know...... we are sick..... !

We are going to spend more time up there over the next 11 days. Some time I will be alone, and other times Ty, Varce, and more dogs will join me. I have books to make, journaling to catch up, crocheting on baby recieving blankets and crocheting baby blankets, and some reading to do. I won't get bored.... and hike 3 times a day to continue my therapy on my knee. And best of all, I look forward to picking wild berries, and enjoying a monsoon storm to pour down rain, thunder and lightening upon my head! I love, love, love the time on the rim. To go back to nature!

Rexburg, Idaho on the 4th of July

Small town parades speak for themselves. Limited budgets, but lots of imagination. Enjoy a few of the sights I saw on the 4th of July in Rexburg, Idaho with my family. This car had been used in a car crash derby prior to the parade, and was it noisey!!




This tank is used to fight fires, and sometimes for road construction, etc. Interesting abilities.

Yes, we all got wet! It felt wonderful on a hot summer day. I didn't even mind the hair! It was worth it. My sister, Liz stayed on the road while mom and I ran for the trees. Liz got drenched.
A happy grandmother with her girls. Grandma bought them matching outfits. SO CUTE!




Who made Kaidance unhappy? Oh, Canyon didn't let her push the stroller with Kymber in it.



Savanah is such a cutie, as are all of the little girls. This is a cute photo of her.

My brother Jeff, who is a grandpa, treated the kids to ice cream.... and Sheridan gladly shared with Canyon. What a sweetheart! (Inspite of her hard day)

Sorry Dad, it doesn't matter how many times you tell me to quit taking your picture, just know that I won't. I love you, and since I don't get to see you often, I take your picture!

My niece Heather is married to this handsome guy! Jared, you are eye candy!

Canyon is such a good big brother, and Kymber loved every minute of being pushed around.

Back row: Tawnya, Liz

Front row: Heather, Grams, Holly, Lois and Canyon.

We ate the best food made from scratch by a Phillipino lady. And ice cream, cotton candy, and drank lots of water. The day passed to quickly, as all holidays with family seem to do, but I will cherish the memories, and look forward to making more! I love you all very much!

Baked eggs

Varce was preparing to leave on another trip so we were up late packing for him. The dogs kept going outside and barking and barking. We finally went outside to see why. We had a duck in the pool. The dogs kept barking at the duck. I took the pool skimmer pole and shooed the duck away, and within 1 minute she was back. This routine was repeated 5 or 6 times... until I realized Zoey was trying to tell me something. She was up on the water fall and kept sniffing under the rosemary plant. Varce and I got a flashlight and checked it out. The pictures will tell the story.

We felt so bad, and didn't know what to do with them. So, into the trash.... the end.

This is a test

This is a test. Should you choose to accept the challenge you will be asked to continue. If you choose to decline this test, then you must act quickly and exit the program.

The test is this: Does Tawnya remember how to post a blog? It has been awhile, much too long. With nearly 600 digital photos from Alaska...which ones should I post? Maybe the grizzly.

But I took about 10 of this bear, and then there was the moose... all the many moose, which I have about 20 photos of various moose. And then there are all the photos at The North Pole, with Santa and the Reindeer..... and the 4 wheeling in the back country, and the fishing on the lake, and the laughing at Nikki and Tyia in the motor home, and on the swings, and hanging out at the Knotty Store, gosh, I don't know what to show. So I will randomly add some, and hope you enjoy seeing some of what I saw. Remember it never gets dark in Alaska this time of the year, and we didn't want to miss a thing, so we hardly ever slept. Try to imagine 52-60 degrees, sweat shirts and jeans, and loving every fresh breath that we inhaled. Trying not to think about our puffy sleepy eyes. Clean air, clean water, and untouched land..... It is hard to imagine even for me, and I was there!

And my computer is taking forever to upload the photos, so, due to time, "That's All Folks"!

Memorial Day in Arizona has never been like this before! We took our 5th wheel RV up to the rim and knew we would have a few days of unsettled weather. Possible rain, much like the valley, and a possible skiffffff of snow. But just to be sure I packed food for cooler weather. Veggies and such to make soup, baked lasagna, that sort of thing.... and it is a good thing. We ate lots of soup, hot tea, hot cocoa, read books, watched it snow, played games, crocheted, watched DVD's, and watched it snow. It was AWESOME! We woke to this weather on Friday morning, and it didn't melt until Monday. Then it simply disappeared. No mud for the dogs to play in, and not a mess inside the RV. The RV kept us warm, and we opened all the blinds, and just enjoyed the handiwork of God. It was quiet, restful, and soothing. It wasn't what we thought it would be like, it was better, It was Christmas.

Oliver was in town for a few days, so he pitched his tent in the snow, ans stayed a couple of nights with us. Kattie was able to come for a couple of days, and she brought her dog, Sadie, and they enjoyed the sunshine in the valley with Nikki while we had snow, and she came up on Sunday evening and enjoyed the cool but drier weather. Monday, Nikki and her family joined us and we witnessed what paint ball is between sister and brother inlaw. Kattie has a few bruises to be proud of. We also had foil fry dinners and som'mores around the fire and loved the cool evening and warm fire. The chocolate wasn't bad either.

Thank you family for making the effort to be together. My heart swells with pride and love for each of you!

Where does the time go?

The last 7 weeks seem like a fog I have started to come out of. I have let pain, pain meds, therapy, sleep, therapy, meals, therapy, and constant thoughts of my bionic leg take over my life. However, tomorrow may be my last therapy at TOCA if Dr. Duhon gives me the OK on Friday. I have signed up at the Glendale Rec. Center and have started to go there to ride the bike, and work out on equipment. Little by little I am getting back the range of motion in my leg. I still need to ice my knee for a while after doing much, and it still swells, but I am not complaining, especially after going through what I have. This part seems almost, ALMOST easy!

Last weekend I was rewarded by a little trip to Lakeview, Oregon. Mom and Dad were there visiting my sister and her husband, so my sister Vicki, (from San Diego area) and I flew to Reno and we rented a car and drove the 4 hours to see my family.

I had a wonderful time and I am getting excited to do a little scrapbooking again. My sister took us to a scrap book crop in Klamath, Or. We stayed at the Shilo and had one entire day to work on our projects. I finally started to do the pictures from our family cruise to Alaska in 2007. I am a bit behind. It was fun to see the photos again and remember the wonderful time we had.

So as each day passes, I am grateful for my many blessings, my suportive family, and all of those who have helped care for me the last several weeks. I appreciate my mom coming and staying a week to help. No one can do what a mom can do. Tyia, she has been such a blessing. Every minute of everyday she has been with me, tended me, cooked and cleaned the house, cared for our pets, kept me smiling, and provided heat, ice, motion and so much more. Thank you. Varce, there are not words to say "Thank You". You have listened, rubbed, unplugged and plugged in all the things I have needed. During my recovery you have had more than any husband should have to bear because you not only cared for me, but you have worked 17 hour days during this outage at your work, 5 days a week. I am grateful for your sacrifice for me and our family all these years to provide for us. Thank you for laying next to me when you took a nap on your days off. I have needed you near. And to all my other children, thank you for your time to be here when you could be, calling to check in, and give me the courage to keep "bending" when I really didn't want to. The phone calls, the cards, flowers, fruit and meals are appreciated so very much. Thanks to all of you who have taken a moment and prayed for me, or thought of me. From my heart to yours...Thank You

As we made plans for the weekend with Nikki and her family to join us to partake of the spirit of General Conference we added a few additional plans as well. We shared the food menu responsibilities for Sat and Sun and we planned a quiet activity to complete as we watched conference. The spirit in our home was strong as we heard the voices of our new prophet and apostles. We witnessed the mantel upon our new prophet, Thomas S. Monson. My testimony was strengthened and validated with the knowledge that I am a member of the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I am grateful for the modern technology which allows their faces to be in my home and speak directly to me and my family. What a wonderful weekend it was to be given such glorious and inspired messages.

During this time we, as a family, shared in good food, laughter, and creativity. The jokes and wit kept a smile on my face for 2 solid days as I listened to my daughters create and bond with one another. Included in this post are some of the photos of the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Wizards, faeries, dragons, and magical creatures came to life before our eyes, even our eyes (inside family joke) *insert much laughter here*. Our next project will be to provide faerie houses for shelter and atmosphere for our magical friends.