BEST BUDDIES
I wish I could post a picture of Ammon and I but that just would be a lie. He likes me ALOT, even loves me but NOONE matches up to his grandpa (except maybe his mommy). When he is here and Lee comes home he literally starts to shake with excitement sometimes. I get dropped like a lead balloon (yes, Alex another one of my crazy phrases) and he is on to bigger and better things. Sunday he laid down to take a nap with me and said, "I'm going to sleep on my dad's pillow." It was Lee's pillow. Every now and then, to Jody's chagrin, he'll think he has two dads. And the feeling between the two of them is quite mutual. Lee works all week, is tied up with church all day Sunday and so only has Saturday to himself. That day is gladly monopolized hanging out with his best friend, Ammon. They have pancakes, go to the beach, go to Ace Hardware for popcorn, wash the truck, chase each other around playing "Monsters" or something and take a nap together in front of the tv. No wonder I am only a second thought!

ALONE TIME

Lee is off on one of his two annual elk hunting trips for 10 days. I have just started working a week on, a week off and this is my week off. At first I thought I'd go somewhere, visit someone but Lee reminded me I probably shouldn't spend more money so I thought I'd try a new concept. Staying home. So I've cleaned my house and organized the front area better so it doesn't look so random (we are renting and that room is kind of for storage till we start building in a couple of months). I've actually read and studied my scriptures every day, gone to Healthsport and worked out every day and walked every day besides (I love to walk in this one area where I hear this beautiful creek-the things one notices when they have time!) I've gotten my annual pap exam done and am getting a mammo tomorrow. I've watched movies and started the tv series Lost via CDs from the video store. I've gone through recipes and decided to try a few new ones in the next few days and I've been to a tile store, Restoration Hardware and browsed through Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel on line to get ideas for decorating the new house we haven't built yet. I even had time to take Kelly to lunch at Hurricane Kate's in Old Town yesterday. Add in a nap most days and I'm managing to stay busy and getting comfortable being alone. I'm even sleeping good at night now. (Considering that I was afraid to stay by myself till last year, that's saying a lot!) I've had time to smell the roses, watch what I want, go to bed when I want and eat what a want. Pretty nice. Would I trade it to have all five of my children young again and chasing after them??? You bet!!!!

ETHEL UPDATE
When I got to church today, the bishop's wife came up to me and told me that they had about twenty messages on their phone yesterday from Ethel. She was in a dither because she had heard from Tennessee but couldn't get through to us since I blocked her number. I felt bad that the bishop got all those extra calls and also feel bad that our 20+ calls from her will probably go to someone else. However, it has been so peaceful here that I don't feel bad enough to unblock her calls. The bishop has been begging more people to go to choir though and even though I don't sing that good, I went. I figured I owed him something!

AMUSEMENTS AT WORK BY "SWEET BABY"
I often complain that my job can be pretty mundane in the short stay unit for endoscopy. However we sometimes get some amusing/crazy patients who make it more interesting. Today was such a day. We had one woman in her 80's who complained from the minute she walked in. The light was too bright, every spot on her body hurt if you touched it and she didn't want to be there. Big news people-we don't get a commission on how many people come in. We were definitely the ENEMY today though. Wouldn't you know it, we had to try about 10 times to get an IV in her. I think that's a new record. We had to put a towel over her eyes (to hide the blinding light of Humboldt County) and one nurse tried 6 times and I finally got it on my 4th try. She tried every last nerve of mine and I was only in there for about 15 minutes-much less than the other two nurses. Then she reacted adversely to the Versed they gave her in the procedure room and she couldn't even have the procedure. My favorite patient today was a 52 year old rather hefty woman with a past that included "snorting" and other riotous practices since the age of 14. She kept calling me "sweet baby" and blessing me constantly. She has apparently found Jesus in the last few years and is reformed. One of her tatooes is a heart with the name Jesus in it. She told me how her grandson tried to commit suicide a few months ago and told me of every ailment she's ever had. She talked continually when I was in the room. Nonstop. The best was in recovery when she started a nonstop conversation with the woman next to her (poor lady). She also stopped one of the doctors who walked in and told him all about her ailments. Not too unusual except it wasn't her doctor. When I discharged her she walked over to her wheelchair (she's not as bedridden as she says). Before she got to it she stopped and held hands with her neighbor and started praying over her quite loudly. She then wrapped her arms around me and gave me a huge hug because I was such a "sweet baby". You gotta love people like her!!

NO MORE ETHEL
For those of you who know Ethel, please relax, she is still alive and kicking. She just can't call our house 20+ times a day anymore. I've blocked her calls. I know it's evil and mean but my sanity could not stand it anymore. Ethel is about 75 years old (looks 90) with no teeth and some severe dementia. Her house is dark and musty and she smells like moth balls. Her clothes are all soiled and her hair is stringy.The stories I could tell about her are endless and hilarious. She lives alone and calls ALL DAY to members of our church for entertainment. She will call, you talk to her and 5 minutes later she calls again. In the course of your conversations, she will ask you the same thing over and over again. She has about 5 family favorites but I am convinced we were #1 because Lee is her "adopted son" and is so nice to her on the phone. He would tell her these outlandish stories when he talked to her like when she asked about me, he'd say I was at BYU trying out for the cheerleading squad. He told her Lindsey was in the CIA in England. She would believe it all. Her opening line for us is, "I just heard from Tennessee." Lee's parents are in Tennessee and "supposedly" she gets multiple calls a day from people who visit them and she needs to tell us the latest news about them. She'll call at 9:00 and tell us this (midnight in Tenn). Lee will say how late it is in Tennessee and she'll say, "That's what I thought. They stay up late." Five minutes later she'll call and say the same thing. She says her uncle is Ronald Reagan and she used to sing at the Grand Ol' Opry. She and her late husband also helped build the church building here (it had no lay builders), the Medford Temple (he'd died before then), and every other establishment in McKinleyville. One day she told Lee, "You're a good looking fellow Lee. And I'm not telling you that to get you all spunktified!" Hilarious! When he does his home teaching she'll try and give him all these old things she has in her house (junk). One day she gave him an old remote controller after insisting he took it. Before he got home she had called me and said, "Lee took off with my remote. I don't know why he would take it". Once she said she had left her keys to her house in a shed that was locked. Lee and his dad went over and had to pry it open to get them. The next time he was over she took him to the shed and told him someone had broken in and tried to steal her stuff (pointing to the area they had had to pry the shed's lock open. Ethel stories are legendary in our ward and in our home. When I talk to my children on the phoneI can hardly hear a conversation because she is trying on call waiting to get through. Over and over again. When people are here visiting they are shocked by how many calls we get from her. I know it's mean but I couldn't take it any more. Ethel has left the Iorg household. (Lee is her home teacher and will call once a day to check up on her but at least we'll have some peace and quiet now!) Someday I'll get a picture and post it.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW PAM?
Take the quiz and find out. See Results (Thanks Kelly for the idea!)

EIGHT IS GREAT

Some of my greatest blessings call me grandma.

Kaden is the oldest grandchild at 4 years of age. He is an adorable prankster. I always tell Kasey I can tell the minute he gets up if he has the devil in him and sometimes he does. He and his grandma are great buddies though. We love to get monster popsicles together and go to movies and on walks when I go to Iowa. He loves to go to Trinity Lake and stay in Grandma's "Big Bus" (trailer).


Madison,3, is absolutely beautiful and charming. She gives the best hugs of any of the grandchildren and always runs up and makes everyone feel like they are the most important person in her life. At Trinity she always wanted to swim with GramPam (she also made up that nickname which I love!)

Alexa is our spitfire. I bought her a t-shirt that said "little body, big attitude" and that says it all. She is 3 but acts like a teenager, complete with hormones. She is a tiny, gorgeous creature and an absolute riot. Best of all, she loves being with me!

Ammon, also 3, is the sweetest boy ever. He is very tenderhearted with the biggest imagination ! He continually is playacting at being something: Tarzan, a dog, Bill the chimp from our zoo, Spiderman, Superman, King Kong, etc. He loves me but his true buddy is his grandpa.

Sweet Kyle just turned 1 in August. He has the sweetest smile. He is also the busiest little(?) boy around. Constantly on the move, exploring. His little smile melts his grandma's heart.

Believe it or not, Cohen was born the day after Kyle. There is a huge difference in size but both are adorable. Cohen eats non stop. I swear he could sit and eat all day if we let them. He also knows right where Grandma's cereal is kept and makes a bee line to it constantly. He has the cutest mischievous smile and eyes that twinkle when he smiles.

Beautiful Sienna is 5 months old and is the sweetest, best baby. I always swear the 3rd baby is extra good and she is! I have hardly ever heard her cry, she is always smiling or entertaining herself. I think Matt's Hispanic blood shows in her exotic beauty!

Last, but not least, is our 4 month old British beauty, Isobel. I think she looks like a Porcelain doll with such classic features. She is such a good baby too. She laughs and coos and occassionally "squawks" her displeasure about things but seldom cries. We love her to bits!

HAIL, HAIL THE GANG'S ALL HERE!! (ALMOST)
I think I'm the last person to post about our family's reunion at Trinity Lake over the Labor Day weekend. It started out that Lindsey and Alan and Isobel were coming over so we planned a trip to the lake. We told Chris that he and his family should come down and be with all of us. I mentioned it to Kasey never thinking she'd be brave to fly with all three kids to join us (Matt's in Dental School and couldn't come) but she did. Brave, or crazy girl! Then at the last minute Alex and her two friends decided to drive from Provo for the weekend. What a wonderful time to have all your children, most spouses, and all eight granchildren together. I absolutely loved hearing the words "Grandma" or "GramPam" continually. I loved it when the ALL wanted to go swimming with me or cried when I wasn't on a boat with them. The four oldest slept with Lee and I in our cabin and I was able to eavesdrop on some absolutely adorable conversations. Beautiful children, wonderful spouses, delightful grandchildren. I am blessed.
p.s. When I got home and looked at the pictures I'd taken I realized it was all of the grandchildren. We really did have adults there, next time I'll include them.

THE EMPTY NEST
Well it's official, Alex has flown off (or driven) to Provo and we are now officially empty nesters. It was hard to leave her but I am also so excited for her new experiences and fun times. Kelly and I drove her out there and had a great time eating at all of our favorite places and shopping together. Our empty nest was only empty for two days when happily Lindsey, Alan and isobel arrived. They have been here since so the real empty nest won't happen till next week. Some things are better to procrastinate.

THE LAST BIRD LEAVES THE NEST

While it doesn't seem possible, Alex is leaving for college this week. On Friday, Kelly and I will drive her to Provo where she will start UVSC August 23rd. Where have the years gone? It seems like such a short while ago that I was in Fortuna giving birth to her. I remember Lee desperately wanting another boy and offering to trade her to the people in the next room who had just had a baby boy. Now he is driving her crazy with all his sentimental whining about her leaving. Who would have thought she would be the one he'd play Barbies with or he'd whine for years about her not sitting next to him in a pickup (she quit around the age of 8 and he's still whining about it)? He still remembers her hanging outside the bathroom door waiting for him to get out and the daily phone calls his secretary would get wanting to talk to him so they could plan what they were going to do when he got home from work.
Alex has been a joy. I don't think she even started being irritated with us until this year. She has been so mellow and easy to be around. She has made such good choices and never made us worry about what she was doing. I have loved our movies out, shopping trips, Trinity Lake times, and lunches together. I am so excited for her to move on and have so many different, new experiences but will miss her so much.
I know that as parents we raise and love our children so they feel confident and excited to move out and start their own lives. It is just so hard to be left behind.

TRINITY LAKE

The first time I went to Trinity Lake http://totalescape.com/destin/lakes/trinitylake.html was when Lee and I went with Doug and Kay White (long divorced) about 28 years ago. I don't think we've missed a summer since. Our companions have changed (the Jones', Blairs, McCartneys, Berrys) but the good times and good memories continue. We used to laugh at the antics of our children, now it's the antics of grandchildren. Ammon cracked me up last weekend when, after watching 'First Knight' he donned on the covers of VHS movies on his arms and legs, picked up a stick and as he called it, became a "Queeng". Hilarious!!
I love, in fact, savor, my time at Trinity. I love the smells, the weather, the views, the feel of cold lake water, and the sun!! I look forward all year to Memorial Day and the start of " lake time" and then dread all summer the coming of Labor Day and it's end. As I get older I even sometimes ponder how many summers I have left of Trinity Lake. And when we retire and move that is one of the things I'll miss most.

Happy Days!

Kelly and I just got back from Trinity Lake. Our family has spent every summer there for about 27 years. We have a trailer up there and keep our ski boat and go up as much as we can. Alex and I went on Thursday morning with Ammon. Kelly and Jody and Cohen came on Friday. Alex and Jody left this morning (Saturday) and Kelly, the kids and I spent another glorious day in the sun. It is a magnificent place surrounded by mountains and forests, unbelievably beautiful.
Two weeks from today, Lindsey, Alan and Izzy come here for 2 1/2 weeks. I can't wait to get my hands on Izzy again! Three days later, Kasey, Kaden, Alexa and Sienna come for a week. Then 2 or 3 days later, Chris, Kalie, Madison and Kyle come for Labor Day weekend. We will all head back to the lake with Kelly, Jody, Ammon and Cohen. I can't wait to have all eight of my beautiful grandchildren together. Can't wait to take pictures of them! Can't wait to hold each of them and smother them with kisses! Can't wait to see them interact with each other! This is what life is all about: being surrounded by family and everyone having fun together! Happy days! VERY happy days!!

Pictures from our trip!







On the beach at Sunset on the Big Island

Hunky surfer dude from Maui and the Big Island


The Big Island
We spent 7 days on the Big Island, staying in the Waikoloa area at a nice condo, Paniolo Greens. We had a great time with my brothers, sister, dad and wives going to the beaches, playing "hand and foot" (a card game) tournaments and eating together. The highlight for me was kayaking to the Captain Cook monument with about 20 dolphins all around us spinning and jumping on the way over and back. At the monument we snorkeled in the clearest water and saw amazing fish. I would go back there to that again in an instant. The Kona side of the island is a little more deserty and the Hilo side is very tropical but has little in the way of hotels. Note our dive of a hotel (very 50's) we stayed in our last night. The Kona side is the side to stay on. Hapuna Beach was our favorite and was good for boogey boarding. Sad for Lee, we saw no surfable waves.



The dive hotel - purchased on Priceline. I should have been worried when I saw that Priceline only had 2 star hotels and the one we got was called Uncle Billy's Hotel!! I was wishing Alan was with us since he is a hotel snob too! I almost slept in the car!!

Maui outside our condo window
The condo we stayed in on Maui was a little old but the view was great. We were overlooking the largest grassy area and pool area and it was really beautiful. Lee and I played a lot of cribbage, ate at an amazing place, the Nine Palms, and visited many of the beaches. We got a great first visit idea of Maui and would definitely go back!! Lee surfed a couple mornings and we would walk every day. I think Lee would like to take a surfing buddy next time though!

Joining in...

I'm sure mine won't be the most interesting of blogs but I thought everyone could keep up to date with the building of our new home and my travels at least so thought I'd venture into this new adventure. Besides, this counts as keeping a journal , doesn't it??? At least it's better than the one I am now keeping! When Kelly gets back from Seattle I will have her help me get started and I will post pictures of our trip to Maui and the Big Island. I am now officially a blogger!