Today our grandson Joey is 12 years old. He can now become a deacon and pass the sacrament at church. His parents are my son Shon and his wife Kee. Joey is the type of child that should become a lawyer. He always wants everything to be fair, he is always good for a debate, and he likes money. He also has a big heart and will share whatever he has with his brothers and sisters. He is a brainiac and coasts through school. He plays the trumpet and video games, always has friends around and is a scout. He has had to deal with asthma all his life and has done it well. I would cry when he was hospitalized for the umpteenth time but when we would go to visit, he was always trying to have fun and make the most of each day. We love this young man so much and hope his day is the best. Joey, do you still like code miwk? (cold milk) as he used to always say. We would ask him what kind of milk he wanted just to hear him say it again and again because it was so cute. Happy Birthday Joesef Taylor Ostler.

Cousin Nick and Joey at Disneyland
Ready for a new year at school a couple of years ago

Just a cool Dude

I heard a joke yesterday that fits with the 4th of July theme and patriotism. A comedian from the south said: Do you know what the colors red, white and blue stands for down here? Red-necks, white-trash and blue-collars. He said it, I didn't.

My 4th of July blog!

Guess who the people in these pictures are? I am not a skilled photographer, but then again I don't do too badly with my point and shoot Canon sure shot camera. I don't know what happened here, I think my settings got knocked out of mode and here are the wonderful moments to remember. The focus was wrong on all of them but it's also hard to get action shots on daughters and birds that move like lightening. Colett and Amy will probably want to steal my pictures again and put them on their blogs too. Tee hee

OK, the real blog is down below. I did manage to get a few nice pictures after all.

The Real 4th of July Blog Entry 2008

Over the stadium

We started off our 4th of July at the balloon fest in Provo, UT. I had been reading about it for a few weeks now and was really looking forward to seeing all the balloons. I thought there were supposed to be 100 of them, but when I reread the news article, it said there were to be 30. When we got there we saw maybe 6. I read later that the heat was so intense that they changed the flight schedule, took off at 6:30 a.m. and didn't bother to tell me (hmmfph) and they didn't stay up until 9 like they were supposed to. Consequently, we only got to see 2 close up. It was still a thrill and I decided that I want to go up in one of these. I told Wayne that for our 40th anniversary next year, that is what I want to do. Isn't the 40th anniversary the balloon anniversary? I love the strawberry balloon...way cute.

A very patriotic balloon for the 4th of July

Later in the day, we drove to Wallsberg, UT to have a big BBQ and play day at the Ralph Yarro compound. Note: this is not the same kind of compound that you have been reading about in the newspaper in Texas. This one has a huge log party barn, volleyball net, in-ground trampoline, 2 blow up kid's bounce houses and slides, a wooden fort, an outdoor movie screen,

a bull riding machine, animal pens containing an emu, goats, sheep, horses, cows,

and Ralph and Jackie's 2nd summer home....er mansion.

Colett, Joan and Amy

Just call him Emerson or "E" or "M"

Joan, Wayne, Emerson and Millie

My beautiful daughters Amy Holmes and Colett Yarro



Amy and Emerson

and once again our son-in-law Wes the firefighter had to work so we have no photos of him on this day. We really do love him though.


My cousin Valleri, her hubby Shawn and daughter Macie McLeod

Joan, Wayne and Emerson

Isabelle, my little buddy just watching the goings on.

An intense? game

Val waiting for her big moment.

Val and Colett contemplate their next maneuver.

" High Five" for the great

play girls

My turn

The opposing team didn't have a chance with the sister's teamwork right Matt? Matt?? Matt??

Glam Shot

Amy spikes it. Wow, what an action shot. Look at that hair move.

Amy's turn to return the ball.

There was lots of food to eat including BBQ ribs, chicken, salad, and mashed potatoes with white gravy just like Mom's. When is the last time you had white gravy? I can't remember either and will probably not have it again until next year. We had pie for dessert. Colett and Val made delicious time consuming home made pies. I brought a delicious apple pie that I had my cook whip up. Maybe you have heard of him...Co Stco.

Let them eat cake....no pie

One of the activities available was riding the mechanical bull, and Millie did it twice. What a brave little cowgirl.

The ranch had lots of farm animals to interact with and Wayne showed them all to Emerson. He wasn't too sure about the horse and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I wasn't so sure about the emu because as I went to snap this picture he tried to peck me. The sheep was a love and let anyone pet it.

Gotta love all the animals. I think I need some to go with my future alpaca herd

for when I go live in my yurt in Melrose, Montana.

We ended up high-tailing it to Lehi for the Thanksgiving Point fireworks display. What the heck does high-tailing it mean?? OK... I looked it up....A horse at a fast gallop with the tail held up straight. (Wayne did use to call me a little filly. No smirks, I know that it was a looooooong time ago) but it's not so bad being an old mare that aint what she used to be either.

God Bless America!!!!!

One of my very favorite things for summer is Pace popsicles.
I know they are just called Pace bars and that Popsicles is a trademark brand like Kleenex but they are Pace popsicles to me. It says twice the taste on the bag and that is the truth.
Once you have one, you won't want any other brand of popsicle. They come in a bag of 12 and in the flavors of lime, grape, cherry and peach. They are made in Utah so I don't know if you can get them out of state but I think you can. We have them everywhere....even in Walmart. They are yummy. After working in the yard in 90+ degree weather, there is nothing better. The problem is trying not to eat the whole bag. They taste like quiesently frozen fruit juice bars but unfortunately the first ingredient is water and the next is sucrose. Sorry diabetics. Save up your carbs and try one though. They are worth it.