On the Colorado River

The Ehrenberg Cemetery in Ehrenberg, AZ


The rock piles are all graves of unknowns in the cemetery across the street from the campground


The sign at the cemetery dedicated to all the 'unknowns'


Larry working on our 'new' car


1971 VW Super Beetle


Colorado River Oasis RV Park located on the Colorado River in Ehrenberg, AZ


We spent a week in Yuma, AZ so Larry could get new glasses and get his teeth fixed. The dentist in Apache Junction gave him an estimate of $6900 to have them fixed and he spent $170 in Algodones, Mexico, some difference! We spent four nights in a Yuma casino parking lot and three nights on a 'tour' of another campground. We had a friend stop by unexpectedly on Mon. while we were in Yuma and had a nice visit with him. It is always nice to see folks we have met along the way.

We bought a 1971 VW Super Beetle in preparation for selling our VX which we did and delivered it to Phoenix Sat. Feb 27 to a fellow from Colorado Springs, CO. We went in early to do a few errands and had nice visits with both kids and their spouses. The VW was not what the fellow who sold it to us said it was, so Larry has been working hard to get it into safe running condition. It is amazing how many folks stop to look at it and talk about the VW they used to have! We also used to have VW's, two and a dune buggy so it is taking us back a few years. It is an in-between car for now, at least that is the plan unless God changes our minds.

We have been two weeks at Colorado River Oasis located across the Colorado River from Blythe, CA. We quickly found that we are basically out in the middle of the desert as neither Ehrenberg or Blythe have much to offer but we have enjoyed our time here anyway. We went to a Santos concert at the Calvary Chapel in Blythe and enjoyed it very much.

We will be moving even farther out into the desert for two weeks so will make a run to Blythe (all of 5 miles) to the grocery to stock up before we head out on Thurs.

Apache Junction to Casa Grande, AZ

We had quite a rain storm for Apache Junction, AZ getting about half a year's worth of rain in less than a week! Compared to the weather in the rest of the country though, we feel very fortunate and are glad we are here.

Sunday, January 17 we drove to Tucson for another cousin reunion. This time we had nine out of twelve remaining cousins who could make the trip coming from all over the USA. We met in the Rally Room at the RV park where one cousin is staying and had a great time looking at old pictures and getting re-acquainted as well as sharing past memories. We laughed a lot and even played Michigan Rummy, something we did as kids when visiting family.

Friday January 29 we met the kids and one grand at Applebees on the south side of Phoenix to celebrate Ellen's birthday. The staff sang as they presented her with a complementary sundae and said she turned 25 again--made her feel great!

We are currently in Casa Grande, at one of our favorite parks and will move on to Yuma so Larry can get his teeth worked on in 11 days.

L to R, the 'cousins', Myra, AZ, Lucy, CA, Mary, CO, Norman, WI, Miriam, AL, Pat, FL, Alfred, AZ, Ellen, OR, Janet, MI

The 2010 cousin reunion in Tucson, AZ

Ellen's birthday dessert at Applebees

Bethany, Dawn and Vince at Applebees

LaTia and Todd at Applebees

Happy New Year 2010

Our site at Sunrise Heights in Phoenix, AZ


Dawn in the kitchen slicing bread for our Christmas meal


The 'boys' playing pool while the girls were getting the meal ready


Alex and Colby finishing off a game of pool


Son Todd and his wife LaTia at our Christmas gathering


Shane, Bethany, Jes, and Colby at our Christmas get together


Granddaughter Ceret and Adam in the clubhouse where we met for Christmas


Vince and his brother, Angelo who recently moved to AZ from Chicago


Grandma and Shane, the 'missing' grandson from most of the family 'doin's' . He spent the summer in Alaska


The entire family on Christmas Day. We had a great time!


Four generations Bethany, Dawn, Larry, Florence in Prescott, AZ



Here we are starting a new decade. Time goes faster and faster!
December was a good month for us. We saw many friends and went to several Christmas parties and hosted the family on Christmas day. It was nice to see more stores acknowledging Christmas this year, the celebration of Jesus' birth 2000 years ago. We also took a trip to Prescott to see Larry's mother and took a picture of four generations. About 14 years ago we took a picture of five generations,with Larry's grandmother the one missing now as she went home to be with Jesus in 1997.

We have enjoyed our time at Sunrise Heights in Phoenix. We head to Apache Junction in a few days to the same spot we had last year (only one big enough for us!).

Moving East

The Budweiser Clydesdale horses came through soon after we arrived at the AZ State Fair

Vince riding the overhead tram to go back to the car for his meds

Jes, Colby, Vince and Dawn after they got off a ride

Larry and his mom Thanksgiving Day

Cousins Bethany and Alex before we ate

Granddaughter Ceret, the great cook, and her mother, LaTia

The family photo of Thanksgiving minus one grandson who had to work


We started off the month by going to the state fair with Dawn, Vince, Colby and Jes. We had not been to the AZ State Fair in years and had a great time. We chose not to buy a 'ride pass' but everyone else did so we watched while they rode and tried to take pictures with the phone since we forgot to take our camera. We enjoyed the food and made a few purchases of things you can't live without. We didn't get home until after midnight.

We enjoyed our time at Paradise RV in Sun City, AZ and it really flew by quickly. Ellen had several doctors appointments and then on Nov 18 had minor surgery on her ankle. She had a wonderful, caring podiatrist and everything went really well with NO PAIN--PTL!!

We took Thanksgiving dinner to Prescott to be with Larry's mother. She has a hard time around Thanksgiving as both her husband of 69 years and a son died close to Thanksgiving. Larry helped her with a few items that needed attention that she was not able to do.

Then Black Friday we had our family Thanksgiving meal at our oldest granddaughter's new house. It was her first Thanksgiving to cook and her did a wonderful job! We had lots of food left over and Ceret sent us home with 'care packages' which we enjoyed. Some times the best part of thanksgiving is the leftovers!

Yesterday we moved to Phoenix, just one mile from Dawn and Vince. This is really a mobile home park with just a few sites for RV's so we have an actual address!

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

On to Paradise (RV Resort that is)

Celebrating 50 years of marriage, the happy couple Bill and Nan



Actress Heather Burns and Actor Johnny W (I don't remember his last name)on the bench in the middle. He is the main character in the movie.



Changing the set for a different angle


We enjoyed our time in the Verde Valley. We met new friends and saw old friends and basically just relaxed most of the time. We made two runs to Phoenix to the VA there to see Larry's primary care doctor. So far they can find nothing wrong with him which is good news. We had lunch with Dawn the first time we were there. It was good seeing her again and we had a two hour 'lunch'. We also made two visits to Prescott to see Larry's mother. His brother and sister-in-law were visiting also the first visit and since their 50th anniversary was Nov 1 and we couldn't make the 'official' celebration, we took them out to dinner to celebrate.

Nov 1 we moved to Paradise RV Resort and we will be here the month of Nov. When we arrived we discovered one of our trailer tires had lost all the tread but still had all the air in it! We figured it must have come off fairly close to the park so we went looking for the 'alligator' but didn't find it in 10 miles. Hopefully it will be covered under warranty since it is only 15 months old and obviously is a defect.

This evening we watched a movie set in the resort. It takes 12 hours to set up and film a five minute segment! No wonder movies cost so much! The name of the movie is "Valley of the Sun" and should be out Dec 2010. They have been filming the whole month of Oct. and will finish filming Nov.6 in Marana. They also did a segment in Happy Trails Resort in Surprise, AZ. We found it all very interesting.

Cottonwood

Our campsite in Verde Valley TTN

Since I updated the blog just two weeks ago, not much has happened since. We moved from Happy Jack, AZ where we 'just happened' to run into friends we hadn't seen in awhile to Cottonwood. Larry did something to his back and after a week of walking around 'crooked' and in pain, we went the the VA in Prescott. They took x-rays and gave him a shot which helped ease the pain. While we were in Prescott, we made a quick run to see his mother. She is looking better than we have seen in a long time. The VA Doc said Larry could benefit from a chiropractor so he has been to one in Cottonwood three times so far and is doing MUCH better. He is walking fairly straight again. (Since he broke his collar bone many years ago, that side has been lower ever since so walking 'straight' is something he doesn't do.)

It has been hot here but today was lovely and it is supposed to be in the 70's for the next ten days-yeah!

God's incredible creation

Landscape Arch with Navajo and Partition Arches to the right, Arches National Park,UT




Wooden Shoe arch in the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park, UT




View through Mesa Arch in the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park, UT




On the drive up Kane Creek Canyon Moab, UT




Hovenweep National Monument,UT




Four Corners monument showing where Arizona, Utah, Colorado,and New Mexico meet




Valley of the gods, UT




Goosenecks State Park, UT




Mogi Dugway with Valley of the gods in the distance




Us at Muley Point, UT with Monument Valley in the distance




Butler Wash Ruins near Blanding, UT




Natural Bridges National Monument, UT




Monument Valley, UT




Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ




Giant logs in the Petrified Forest near Rainbow Forest Museum, AZ




The Painted Desert, AZ

We have done so much and seen so much in the last two weeks, I decided I needed to add to the blog early.

After leaving Gunnison, CO we went to Moab, UT where we visited the Arches National Park, both sections of Canyonlands National Park and took the Kane Creek Canyon trail to Hurrah Pass and back. The scenery was incredible! We hiked two miles round trip to Landscape Arch in Arches NP and that about did us in as the temp. was in the mid 90’s. It was worth the hike though. We enjoyed the Needles section of Canyonlands more than Island in the Sky since you actually drive though the canyon and have the towering walls on both sides. The Kane Creek Canyon drive was spectacular and we utilized our 4 wheel drive.

We next moved on to Bluff, UT and visited Hovenweep National Monument, the Four Corners area, Valley of the gods, Goosenecks State Park, drove up the Mogi Dugway, went out to Muley Point, on to Natural Bridges National Monument, stopped to see Mule Canyon Ruins and Butler Wash Ruins and drove through Monument Valley. Such awesome beauty and it is truly amazing how our ancestors lived in such rugged conditions.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ was our next stop and we drove both rims and attended a presentation by a Navajo ranger who has lived all his life in the canyon near Spider Rock. Again, such awesome scenery—God has done a fabulous job of creation!
Yesterday we visited Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, AZ with more incredible scenery.

We took over 250 pictures and I tried to show one of each area so not to bore you too much.