Out My Window

Arkdale, Wisconsin, and Luther

Bullhead City, Arizona

Lighthouse Marina, California

When I am seated at my desk, I can look straight out my back window, here are views  Out My Window. 

Pond before the flood

Belvidere, Illinois - a flooded pond

Acton, California, and Luther

Sherwood, Oregon
This view is not much, but everything else is beautiful

You Are Up 250 pounds!

The basement is empty

 Or you must lose 250 pounds by next Thursday! 

After living in haRVey for nearly a year, we confidently weighed ourselves at a CAT scale. haRVey is rated for 15,000 pounds gross.  Much to our now deflated confidence, we were 250 pounds overweight. We discovered our dietary excess in Kennewick, Washington, and made lists from there to Minnesota, as to how we would make our goal weight.  

Our first exercise was to empty out EVERYTHING from the "basement" (all compartments on the sides) and the "garage" (the front compartment near the hitch). After that intense workout, we were able to entertain each other with comments like, "Wow, I didn't know I had two of those" Or "We should really keep all of the tie-downs together" and my favorite, "How many of those do you really need?"  Yes, it was a really fun time.  

After combing through the outside we shifted our focus to everything inside. We emptied drawers and we each held on to the items from each drawer we used. That was interesting.  What can I say about spices? We had WAY too many and I know they don't weigh much every ounce counts! 

As a cool down thought just because you have an empty space you do not need to fill it. 

I frequently tell people this purge was harder on Dave as he had to let go of books, again! 

Everything Out!

We have successfully shed the 250 pounds and haRVey has a much better self-image and no longer dreads having pictures taken.  

The Learning Curve

 This is Logan.  He is our oldest grandchild and we see him for a few months each year.  It is always amazing to note how he has grown, what he has learned and what he is able to do.  We are often heard saying, "WOW, you could not do that last year!" 

So much of growing up is doing things for the first time!  These two pictures are Logan doing stuff he could not do last year.  Neighborhood Park has this twirly ladder that just was a little too hard to do, but this last summer - conquered.  Big Kid Park has a rope climb that was just a bit too high last summer although it was attempted many times.  This year - easy peasy!

Logan has enjoyed a nice elevator ride or better yet, an escalator.  We visited the Mall of America this summer for the sole purpose of riding ALL of the escalators. Yes, we did. :)

Sadly I do not have pictures, but he has successfully passed his escalator joy along to his cousin, Kai who joyfully raced to go again. 

Kai learned how to drink from a water fountain (bubbler) while we were visiting, it was wet and fun! Kai is curious and likes to try everything!

Scarlett, enjoyed her first camping trip this year. She is a natural!
She did not like riding the escalator or elevator at all.  On a family trip to a waterpark/hotel we took the stairs up and down all four flights many times rather than take the elevator. I am guessing next year she will be ready, but now she is ready to chill, nailed it. 

How many new things have you tried? I have not tried enough. I pray that I will be ready when the opportunity strikes.