Five-Oh!

July 28 was my birthday, a significant one, and I photo-journaled the whole day!
Enjoy! I know I did!

I woke early to a well adorned kitchen, complete with streamers, balloons, and flowers!

I started out, taking Emily to work, and getting a wonderful vanilla latte!

I went to Camp Agape at 7:30am to register/check in campers. Jania (right) made me a birthday crown to wear, and wear it I did. Proudly!

I received a beautiful birthday bouquet from two of my favorite people: Doug and Danae!



Jim and I went to Peak Alignment, a class for spine strengthening.

Grace and I went bowling. I was pleased to break 100!

We then went to the Goodwill, can't remember what for. But as always, we found a few treasures.

We went to pick Emily up from work, and I was treated to this fabulous piece of blueberry pie, warm from the oven!

We went downtown for dinner.

Celebrated at home with a really hot cake!





I opened my gift from my children...a beautiful red Kitchen Aid.

I then called the girls to thank them for the delicious gift!
(Notice the beautiful new watch from Jim)


Then I went to bed, thoroughly relishing in a day well celebrated!

Hiking the "M"

As we are trying to do "Bozeman things" this summer, I'm happy to report that Emily, David, Duke and I hiked the "M" today. For non-Bozemaneers, the "M" is a large letter M, made of rocks, on a mountainside for all of Bozeman to see. It represents Montana State University, I suppose. We started out about 11:00 on this very warm day, and needed to have Emily to work at 2:00. No problem. There are two routes to the "M", the Steep Route and the Gradual Route. Well, since this was our first time up, we decided to take the Gradual Route. Or so we thought. We quickly tired and opted for the "short cut" which actually was no shortcut at all. See, at some point up the Gradual Route Short Cut, we got off the beaten path. Not a good idea, especially when we couldn't even see the "M". At one point Em and I were crawling on our hands and knees up the mountain. Dozens of times I wanted to quit and thought "This is really far enough for my first time". To which Emily would reply "Come on Mom, we can do it!" After approximately 75 minutes of climbing, we DID make it to the top. The "M" is a little disappointing, just a pile of white rocks, but the view of the Gallatin Valley is breathtaking. As was the climb up! Next time we are sticking to the Gradual Route up. I'm sure we'll get there quicker!

Happy Fourth

We had a fabulous day today, "floating the Madison". The Rads invited us weeks ago and we've been looking forward to this ever since. We left town about 11:30, driving about an hour to reach our put in point. The clouds were threatening, and the weather was cool, but the Rads had rented the rafts, by cracky, and we were going! We boarded the two people rafts, towing a food raft. Now, Carla had said she was bringing finger foods. I interpreted that as being snack foods. You know, cheese and crackers, granola bars, apples, and baby carrots. My bad. I had forgotten that you can eat fried chicken, watermelon, sliced veggies, brownies, cookies, rice crispy bars, sunchips and pringles all with your hands! It was a wonderful floating feast.

Soon after finishing our finger foods, we floated upon a capsized canoe. Three "young people" were hanging onto the sides of the canoe, as were two very elderly people. One of the young gals called to us for help: "Could you help us? We have old people!" The young'ens had seen the canoe capsize and jumped in to the river to assist. Jim, Rick and Andrew also jumped into the water and headed to the capsized boat! Dylan steered us toward shore, where I jumped out and headed toward the place on shore where the capsized folks were heading. Those two "old people" hung on for dear life! I reached out for the lady who scooted herself up onto a rock. I asked if she was okay, and both her and her husband (I'm assuming!) were fine. They had lost their cooler, his life vest, her shoe, his hat, and maybe a hearing aid, but do you know that those two got BACK in their canoe, and headed down the river? I am sure these folks were near 80, and I thought to myself "Do your children know where you are?" Needless to say, I was concerned, but we never came upon them again, so I'm hoping they made it safely.

The sun finally came out about 30 minutes before the end of our float, so we only got pink, and not fire-red sunburned! Whew! As we pulled to dock and scurried about unloading the rafts, Andrew saw a snake in the water. He's not a great fan of swimming with snakes, so he boarded the raft again...quickly! The snake was "more afraid of him than he was of the snake" or so they say, and the snake headed to shore where the Rad boys found great delight in looking at it. Really, it's a snake! They are long, slimy, and God cursed them for a good reason. What's to look at? No wait, Dylan wasn't content with just looking at it, and picked it up. In his hands. For all of us to see. The closer he got to the snake-hater Keenas, the further we moved back. After sharing the holding with Ty, they let him go. To wherever snakes go after they are traumatized by humans.

Sounds like a great day, doesn't it? And it was! And of course, we forgot our camera. But it all really happened! Thanks, Rads, for a wonderful Fourth. Oh, and next year, Carla, I'm frying the chicken!

He Got It

Just to follow up, Andrew did get the job at Barnes and Noble. He starts training on Wednesday. This would be a perfect job, if only he liked to read!

Job Interviews

Andrew has had several job interviews since he has been home. Three of them have been at Barnes and Noble. Tomorrow he will have a fourth. Still waiting to see if all those haircuts were worth it. Really...four interviews for one job?! Well, I guess he did get four haircuts for said job. Stay tuned...

The Fifty Dollar Hair Style

Andrew arrived home last week, with hair long enough for a pony tail. Now, I have always loved Andrew's hair, even in a pony tail. He's got great hair! But he was preparing for job interviews and decided he should probably spiffy up a bit. (I'm not really sure he used the word "spiffy", but that's what he meant) So I took him to the mall, to The Salon. The gentleman that cut his hair respected his request to "just cut some off the back, and shape up the front". When he was finished, that is exactly what he got. A couple days later Andrew thought he should probably go a little shorter so he asked "Mom, where are your hair cutting tools?" I asked if he was planning on cutting his own hair, which he has done before, but we did just pay $$$ for his mall cut. I said "You know, you could probably go back to that guy and ask him to take off some more length." Andrew answered with a "Maybe I already did!" Yes, he had gone back later that same day he got it cut, and asked for the stylist to take more length off. I hadn't even noticed. So we found my hair scissors, and Andrew and Emily went to town on his hair. It wasn't bad, really, just a bit shaggy, but it wasn't bad. But with two job interviews impending, Andrew thought he really should have a good cut. So he went to a walk-in hair cuttery, and paid more $$$ to finally get the look he wanted. And I must say, it does look nice. After all that, it should!

Mother's Day Ala Keena

Mother's Day was a great Sunday. After church, I came home to an elaborately decorated back yard, complete with personalized graffiti on the back fence.

Staying true to Keena tradition, the table was set with a bucket of chicken from the Colonel!

After a finger-lickin'-good lunch, there were presents to open.
Emily did a fine job picking out this red crock-pot for me.
David, however, seems to think that I need to use it absolutely every day.
I think I need to find that Crock Pot Lady!

This was my reaction after opening "the gift" from everyone.
It was a Spa Package, complete with massage, facial, manicure and pedicure!

David made me a delicious chocolate cake, and Emily and Grace decorated
it befittingly with a giant Oreo "M".


My favorite part of the day was reading the notes Jim had gathered
from each of the kids, and even my son-in-laws joined in. I would post a picture of me all teary-eyed, and I do have one, it's just lop-sided! It meant so much that everyone took
time to really thank me for being their mom!
Or maybe they said I was a great mom.
I'm not sure which.
But it was nice!