Guess Who Will Be A Big Sister

We are pretty darn excited for 

Miss C and her mom and dad.

and I can't believe

I GET TO BE A GRANDMA AGAIN!!

The Great Backyard Bird Count

The 2012 GBBC takes place February 17 through February 20.

I love watching the birds that we have along the river.

Today starts the 4 days of the "Great Backyard Bird Count"

I always know that the same time as this event arrives the Eagles leave.

It will be interesting to see if I get to count any this year.

Here is information from the GBBC Website 

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Plan to count birds for at least 1 minutes on one or more days of the count. You can count for longer than that if you wish! Count birds in as many places and on as many days as you like—one day, two days, or all four days. Submit a separate checklist for each new day. You can also submit more than one checklist per day if you count in other locations on that day.

2. Count the greatest number of individuals of each species that you see together at any one time. You may find it helpful to print out your regional bird checklist to get an idea of the kinds of birds you're likely to see in your area in February. You could take note of the highest number of each species you see on this checklist.

3. When you're finished, enter your results through our web page. You'll see a button marked "Enter Your Checklists!" on the website home page beginning on the first day of the count. It will remain active until the deadline for data submission: March 5, 2012.

Marbled Godwit, Donald Dvorak, CA,   2011 GBBC

Special Note: As the Great Backyard Bird Count has grown, more and more bird clubs, nature centers, and local parks are conducting special bird walks or hikes during the GBBC and having participants enter their tallies afterward. How you conduct a traveling count versus a stationary count is slightly different although you will enter your online tallies the same way.
Stationary Count: This is a count made in one area, such as your backyard, where you remain in one place. In this case, simply report the highest number of each species seen together at one time, as usual.
Traveling Count: This is a count made over a distance, such as birding on a trail. In this case you will count new birds of each species as you move along, but only if you can be relatively certain you did not count them previously. You’ll add the numbers for each species at the end of your walk.
Other helpful tools and information:

• Data Form Some people find it helpful to fill out the form before entering it on the website. By printing it off ahead of time, they know what information they need to be aware of, such as snow depth, for example.
• Downloadable instructions
• GBBC Photo Contest rules

• GBBC participation certificate  to give out to students or to anyone who takes part in the GBBC. (The certificates for 2012 will be available when the GBBC begins.)
• PowerPoint slideshow about the GBBC
  .
• If you're a teacher looking to get your class involved with the GBBC, read through our educator's materials for some ideas.
• If you're new to bird watching, you might want to check out our "Learn About Birds" section. You'll find help with tricky bird identifications, choosing binoculars, bird feeding tips, and much more.

Great neighborhood gift:

Ingredients

•

peanut butter

1 cup smooth

•

shortening

1 cup vegetable

•

(NOT self-rising)

1 cup white flour

•

meal (NOT selfrising)

Mix ingredients

together well and

place in a suet log

(see back panel) or

simply smear the

paste on the trunk of

a tree, branch, post

or other solid object

where birds can find

and reach it.

Store unused Marvel

Meal in a closed

container in the

refrigerator until

ready to use.

Suet & Suet

Feeder

Suet is the fatty tissue of

cattle and sheep and is

an important source of

ready energy for many

species of birds,

particularly in the colder

winter months of the

year. Many species of

birds get suet from dead

animals in nature.

The Marvel Meal recipe

on the reverse side of

this card provides an

easy way to make and

provide backyard birds

with this source of food

and will attract a wider

range of birds to your

yard.

You can make a simple log

suet feeder into which

you can place your

Marvel Meal.

Use an 8-12 inch

long by 3-6 inch

diameter log. Drill a

couple of 1-inch

diameter holes to a

depth of 1 inch.

Smear suet in each

hole. Hang with

cord, attached to log

with a screw eye.

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/kids

3 cups yellow corn

Marvel Meal

Valentines Day

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?

Kirk and I have really never been a big "Valentine Celebrating Couple".

I totally enjoyed Valentine's Day this year.

Even though I spent most of the day in the hospital for my heart biopsy, echocardiogram & clinic visit the rest of the day was AWESOME!

1st: I was with Kirk!

2nd: I was hanging out with part of my family

3rd: We all went out for an amazing dinner together.

We do not have a Red Lobster near us, so when McKay said that is where he wanted to go for dinner I was thrilled.

It was Lobsterfest time and though I like crab much more, I ordered the

"Ultimate Feast"

Kirk had the "Create Your Own Feast"

and so we then shared our plates.

It was awesome!

With our large party and Red Lobster not taking reservations it was about a 2 hour wait, but we had a great time visiting and later eating and visiting even more.

UPDATE:

Biopsy report wasAWESOME

Echo; PERFECT

Labs and Clinic; FANTASTIC

Elder McKay

 Kirk and I were able to go to Utah to spend a couple of days with my brother, Morris, his wife Rhonda and their youngest, McKay.

They were in Utah to take McKay to the MTC or Mission Training Center in Provo.

He will be serving and LDS Mission for the next 2 years in the Richmond Virgina Mission.

McKay is such an amazing young man. I have always loved him so much!

He is a good guy, a hard worker and knows how to have fun.

The night before he entered the MTC, McKay requested Red Lobster for his "Last Meal".

After a 2 hour wait for a table (Valentine night with a party of 11)

Morris, Rhonda, McKay along with Ro and Karen's family and Kirk and I

set down to a great meal and another fun evening of visiting.

February 15, 2012 at 12:30pm

we arrived at the MTC

for pictures

and last goodbyes and a few more pictures.

When our kids went on their missions everyone went in for a video, talks about not stalking your missionaries while they are at the MTC and everyone singing "Called to Serve" before the MTC President stood to tell the missionaries to give their families a hug and then head for the door in the back, while the families went out the door in the opposite side of the room.

NOW... You pull in the drive way and follow the guys in orange vests waving to you until they show you were to park. Along the sidewalk stand a small army of missionaries ready to help unload your suit cases and take the new missionaries to where they will be living, eating, sleeping and studying being a missionary.

McKay said, Enough pictures...it is time to get this done, and just like that he was heading down the sidewalk...

Morris filmed and took tons of pictures

and kept the tears  "Snow" under control for the moment.

and Rhonda,

She had the eyes of a missionary mom

proud of her son, concerned for her son, faith in her son,

and complete faith in her Father in heaven.

Topping the missionary mom's eyes are the constant glimmer of tears.

Each will remain in her eyes until 2 years from now when again she hugs on her son.

Elder Angle,

Go work hard.

Have fun.

and have NO regrets.

Happy Birthday Miss H

It is hard to believe that a year ago we were celebrating the birth of Hazel.

February 9, 2011

and a year later we have our fun and full of energy little Princess.

Kira and Sergio went all out to make her 1st birthday amazing!

A house full of friends

and her best friend, Miss C

When she finally got to try her cake

 (yes that is Celes helping her try it out)

she was all over it!

Can we say Birthday Girl on a sugar buzz??

It was allot of fun!

Before the birthday guest left they each were able to take home

a "cute as a button" cupcake.

Happy 1st Birthday Miss H!

We love you so very much.

Itsey

I posted this on facebook a week ago.

I have drove an entire tank of gas out of my car looking for her and I believe I have talk to more complete strangers asking if they had seen her.

I got a phone call tonight that she had been found!

One of our neighbors about a half a mile from our home had Itsey.

He asked to speak to Kirk...

I could tell by watching Kirk's face that I was not going to like what he said when got off the phone.

Our neighbor had got home to see Itsey laying in his yard, but she was not OK.

She was dead.

He said that he could not see any marks on her as to why she had died and he had put her in a box so that nothing would bother her.

Kirk left right then to go get her.

She is setting in my entryway righ now...I guess you could say, lying in state until tomorrow when it is light enough that we can bury her.

Yea, it sucks...

I am going to miss you  Itsey Bits, thanks for being my buddy.

I will try to watch over Reku.

I AM BACK!!!!

Oh how I have missed my little computer.

The hard drive in my friend crashed the end of October...

YEA, that long ago!!!

I was so excited on Tuesday when my friendly UPS man

showed up with my computer!!

BLOG WORLD WATCH OUT

I HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF

BLOGGING TO CATCH UP!

and

I HAVE MISSED YOU!