Well, summer doesn't officially start until June 21, but it is here in Arizona! We have been over 100 for quite a few days now. My garden sure likes it though. Yes, I finally planted a garden in the grow boxes that I've had for over 4 years. I am having fun so far with the planting and harvesting. I've already had 1 whole tomato!! I've got a couply of jalapenos that will be ready soon. Charley is checking them out, he likes to help... To his right are the tomatoes and to his left are the okra plants. I can't wait for the okra, I love it! In the next bed over are the green beans and zucchini. The cucumber plants died, but it is a miracle that everything is not dead. We ordered sandy loam garden soil, but I think we got pure manure because the first round of plants all died. I mixed in some potting soil and watered the heck out of it and things seem to be doing much better now.

Pretty soon I am going to have to build some shade covers for the plants or the hot sun will burn them to death. It is always something, isn't it? So far I have not had too many bugs, but I am using an insecticidal soap to get rid of the few that I've had. I also have a compost bin, so before long I can make my own garden soil!

For those of you who have gardens or the ability to buy lots of fresh garden produce, a great book that I got at Deseret Book a few years ago is called The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook by Andrea Chesman. It has a ton of really great recipes for the summer bounty.

Jeff and I have also been busy taking three of the grandkids on a trip to Disneyland! We left on Mother's Day, we really appreciate Carrie and Linnlee for letting us take their kids on that day. We left just after noon and had a great time over in the car. We had CD's and movies to keep them occupied and we stopped a lot. By the time we got to the hotel it was almost bedtime. They did not know where we were going, but they were excited just to be doing something they had never done before. On Monday morning, after breakfast, we left for the park and got there right when it opened at 9.

I had the 'bright' idea for us all to wear orange so that we could spot each other better. It worked out great. We made it to ToonTown first and spent most of the morning there, seeing and doing all there was there. We rode a little roller coaster and Justin ended up in his own car in the middle of Jeff and I and he was not too happy about that! We had lunch there and then moved out to the Tea Cups. Justin liked that a lot more. Kaylynn and Kaid seemed to like everything. We went strong until about 2 and Kaid and Kaylynn started getting tired. We found a shady place on Main Street and I sat on a bench while they slept and Jeff and Justin rode all the fire engines and cars and wagons that go up and down Main Street. He had a great time!

Aren't those just the cutest kids you have ever seen? (Jeff included!) We had a great time and held out until 7pm. By then we were all pooped out and just wanted to go back to the hotel and get ready for bed, me, not the kids! We are already looking forward to doing this again!

Well, that's about all I have for now. I'll try to keep this up a little better that I have been doing, but who knows!

Wow, I can't believe how fast time flies these days!! It seems only a couple of days ago that I wrote the last entry. But now that I think about it, a lot has happened in this time.

First of all, we had a great Christmas with all the kids and grandkids around. They had Christmas morning at their own homes, and then came over to our house for dinner and more presents.

Next, Jeff and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary on January 10. What a wonderful man I married. He is just the best. We truely are best friends and don't like spending time apart. He has been really busy at work and is gone a lot during the day and we both miss each other a lot!

Then, just a couple weeks ago, I turned the big 50! It seems crazy to say that I am 50 when I can't believe that that much time has passed. I still think I'm 21 - sure wish I felt like 21 more often! All in all, I can't complain, I have been really blessed in the health department. I am still able to do anything and everything that I want to do. Jeff and I have been talking about hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim, about 20 hours of hiking. We might give it a try in April or May this year. We'll keep you posted.

Speaking of walking, I have also been busy building a team for the Breast Cancer 3day this year. My team is Team MammoGrammy! So far I have three other teammembers, with another two possibilities. Analee, Debbie and Davene have joined the team to walk and raise money for this cause. Debbie just got married on Valentine's Day, so now the training can begin. Debbie and Davene live in Phoenix and of course Analee lives in Utah, so we can't do much of our training together, but we can get together some. I am really looking forward to the walk this year, for me it is old hat, but I know the others are scared and excited at the same time. It really is a wonderful three days!

I'll try to do better and keep my blog up to date - but no promises!