Look How Talen Has Grown

What a difference 4 months makes, here is Talen at 4 weeks in his little bouncy chair


and today he was helping me in the garden and he has almost outgrown his chair.
His toes are his favorite toys this week.

Happy Boy

Mom and Dad are on spring break, the weather is sunny and warm and naked is the way to go.

Playing with my toes at Jamma and Pappa's house on St. Patricks Day. My parents headed off to spend the night in Camp Verde and I get to have an overnighter with my Grandparents.

Spring fun.

Spring is here, not that we had much of a winter. Jerry has taken on yet another big landscape project in the back yard and works until he's worn out every weekend. There is not much time left before the hot weather sets in for him to get it done. My part, the planting of the new plants, has not yet begun. I have marked placement of the watering system for Jerry and Talen and I spend time watching and telling him what a good job he is doing but that is as much work as I have contributed. I have been busy in the rest of the yard with my flowers and trying to keep the weeds under control-a never ending battle this year because of all the winter rain. The flowers are so pretty this year and I am hoping the heat holds of for a while so we can enjoy them.

Without talking to Jerylin we bought Talen a swing for the back yard on the same weekend she bought one for their back yard. Like minds and all that. He so enjoys being outside, which is where we spend most of our time too. He is growing so fast and everyday learns to do something new. He sits on his own now and grabs everything he can and of course everything must be tasted.

I can't wait until Talen can point, I can tell he hears the birds and planes but I don't know if he sees them yet. We were at Aunt Debbie and Uncle Phil's house for a sausage party and she has bird feeders in the front yard. Talen loved sitting and watching all the birds. Talen got to see his cousin Torin who is only 6 weeks younger, the two of them are going to have such a good time as they grow together.

Jerry and I are getting out on the bikes as often as we can. We rode up through Wickenberg and up Yarnell hill to Kirkland. It was much cooler there, I was glad I had my leather jacket, Jerry was fine in a sweat shirt, or so he says. Kirkland is just a cafe/saloon. It was built in 1863 and started out as a railway station. We like to take this road up to Prescott through Skull Valley but this trip we headed back, still too cold for me to go on up the mountain.

Cute Pictures

Since Jerylin is in bed with the flu I thought I should post a couple of pictures so you can get your Talen fix.
Talen and his buddy Kyler playing with a new giggle toy that Daddy got for his birthday. Talen is 10 days older, they came to Jonathan's birthday party and spent the night in a tent-good babies.

Jerylin and her little man in his cute jeans.

Tummy time with Jamma, entertain me please.

Miss Jerylin and her 4 year olds at the Phoenix Zoo.

Jamma got to go with the class to the zoo, it was such a fun day.

Busy Week-Jonathan's 30th Birthday

What a fun week. We packed the toy hauler, mostly with baby stuff, for our camping trip at Lake Pleasant for Jonathan's 30th birthday party. Nancy flew in to surprise Jonathan on Friday morning and Jerry and I headed to the airport along with Talen to pick her up. To our surprise John had surprised us all and flew in on a separate flight and was waiting for us all. We stopped at Margaritaville for lunch on the way home, of course everyone had to stop to admire our beautiful Grandson.

As soon as we got home the guys just had to get on the bikes for an afternoon ride in the sunshine. Nancy and I spent the afternoon playing with Talen and waiting for the kids to get off work so she could surprise Jon. We all sat out in the gazebo and had pizza for dinner, again when you come from Michigan in winter being outside is wonderful.

Saturday we finished packing the trailer and headed out. What fun we all had. Jerylin did a great job of planning and there was plenty of food, games, a warm fire and good friends, just about everyone spent the night. Several were gone early because nice as it was it was cold sleeping in the tents. Judy a teacher at Jonathan's school took John and Nancy for a ride on her pontoon boat on Sunday as the rest of us headed for home. Talen was done camping and wanted his own house.

Another Year Older-Me not Talen

It's hard to believe an entire year has passed since Jerylin and Jonathan announced they were going to have a baby. I know most people start their year on January 1st, but mine seems to begin on my birthday and go from there. We had a great breakfast with Jerry's parents to start the celebration. Then Jerry cooked steak for us on Sunday night. I was lucky enough to spend my birthday with my parents who spoiled me all day. I find myself counting my blessings more than I used to, when all you hear is bad news it's good to reflect on the good, and we have so much of the good I feel a bit guilty sometimes.

My two favorite guys!

I continue to look for a job along with the many other unemployed here in Phoenix. I feel confident that my new job is just around the corner. I meet with other unemployed ladies for lunch each week and swap ideas and good cheer. Thanks for the support ladies!

Talen continues to be the center of my life right now. He is such a sweet baby and growing so fast. It will be sad when these days are gone forever but we are looking forward to the toddler years. Jerylin is now back to work and I get to have him 2 or 3 days a week and enjoy every minute. I got to go with Jerylin's class on a field trip to the Phoenix Zoo last week and what a fun day.

We will be heading to the lake on Saturday to celebrate Jonathan's 30th birthday. Should be a lot of fun. I am sure Jerylin will post pictures after. The following weekend we are going to try once again to go to the dunes. It has been a very wet winter and each trip we have planned so far we have had to cancel.

I have been busy scrap booking. I have been wanting to do it for sometime and have been collecting supplies but just never sat down to do it. I finally have the time and made a book for Great Grandma Rose, one for Nancy and John too. It was so much fun looking back at all the pictures from Talen's birth until now. I am now working on a book for us about our adventures on the motorcycles. Now that I am organized and going I hope to keep up on them all.

January 2009 already!

With more time on my hands than ever I don't know where it goes. I am still looking for a job, although now I am really looking. I spend every minute I can with Jerylin and Talen knowing it will not be as often when I do go back to work. Uncle Doug, Aunt Shelley, Makayla and Dani came over to see Talen. He was his usual charming self. The girls had to try out my Harley. It was so good to see all of them.

We went to see Zoo Lights with Jerylin Jonathan and Talen. It happens every year but this is the first time that Jerry and I have gone. It was very pretty and Talen stayed awake for most of it even though it was near his bed time. He really enjoys lights and they had music playing too.

Jerry and I have been enjoying having 3 day weekends together. We take the bikes out and ride and hit a restaurant or drop in on friends. Saturday a few chores for Jerry, but not too many now that I am not working. Pappa needs his baby fix every weekend so the kids are over to hang out and eat with us at least one day. If you have read Jerylin's blog you already know how last weekends evening ended. I will tell it any way. We were packing the kids up to leave after dinner. We headed out the door with Jonathan holding Talen and all that comes with him, and Jerylin had Ponce, he likes to run away, and Luna. It was cold and it was dark so everyone was doing their best to get the car seat and dogs loaded up. Jerylin threw Ponce in the front seat with her purse and shut the door so he wouldn't run. Jonathan was putting Talen in the backseat and we were kissing him good-by. After hugs from the kids they went to get in the car and Ponce had stepped on the lock button and locked him and Talen inside the car, with the only set of keys. We tried to get him to step on the lock button again but he just looked at us. Talen was screaming, he really hates being in his car seat. Should we break the window? Jerylin was on the phone with her cousin's Dan and Dave the firemen who said to call 911 so she did. Of course not being a real emergency they connected her with rural metro-our designated emergency fire department which is 30 miles away. When I heard her I told her to hang up they would never get here and once again wondered if breaking the window was our only choice. I saw the neighbor down the road pull in and headed off for help. He is a fireman. Thanks to Robert he and Pappa pried the door enough to slide a long metal rod in and hit the unlock button. What a night!

We had a much less eventful day yesterday. Talen came over with his parent's to tail gate here before the big Cardinals game against the Eagles. Jonathan and his friend JR had 10th row tickets for the big play off game. Jerylin drove them there so they wouldn't have to worry about parking and then came back to watch the game with us. We picked up my Mom to come spend the day with us since Larry was working at the game. Talen loves football, it's loud and bright. After the Cardinals won the game she packed up Talen the dogs and headed out to pick up the guys and dropped Mom on the way. It was an exciting game and we are now in the Super Bowl!