HI ALL!! Last Saturday, Andy and the kids were able to enjoy a ‘Company Party’ from his Dad’s work – it was a day at ‘King’s Dominion’ theme park located 20 miles north of Richmond, VA. Tickets included entrance, all the rides, free drinks and a lunch – wow! – can’t beat that! Sorry to say Ninha wasn’t able to go because she had special training for her manager’s job at the daycare.

Andy thought it was only about an hour’s drive but ended up being more like 2, so everyone was really anxious to get out of the car and onto those rides. Most of the pics are self-explanatory. Those fun pics of the kids with cartoon characters, riding the carousel, flying in the Red Baron, swinging in the Viking boat and driving those little cars!!
It was kind of tough for little Drew because many of the rides he couldn’t go on, and it wasn’t too much fun watching Shawnna ride all the time. Finally they found some just his size and can I tell you, the day improved ten fold!!

There’s the pic driving the cars around with the track but check out the other cars. I was really surprised with those little cars – look at all that room they got to drive around in and no track to have to follow. There’s Shawnna leading the pack and Drew is zooooming by so fast he’s a blur!! There’s the kids enjoying lunch and then, it’s off to the Eiffel Tower – not in Paris but in VA! They were way up high and they both thought it was kind of scary up there but enjoyed the elevator ride up and down! Along with the rides in the park, there is a water park too. You can see Shawnna and Drew in their suits getting wet in the sprinklers! And look at that funny, wet hairdo Drew has – HAHA!!

Andy said he really liked the ‘FREE’ drink thing the best - just being able to walk up and get a drink any time was great considering how hot and humid it was!! I’m sure a fun time was had by all, but everyong was glad to be back home and fast asleep!!

Love you all,
Grandma TaTa

Great report dad! You did your homework well!! It looks like the two of you had a lovely time scaring the people at the beach!!

WOW Cassy, you´re awesome! My husband wishes I would get on a bike!! Thanks for sharing your experience and helping me decide to never get on a bike again!!! Hope things went well Monday...that is if you had the guts to go to work on your bike...trust me I won´t blame you if you didn´t!!!

Nathan you sure do look good...you´ve lost more weight, haven´t you?!?!

To fill you in on Spain life....we both work a lot, David is a GREAT primary teacher (yes he is still elders quorm pres. as well), and I´m dreading and loving planning girls camp again!

love you all!

Alexa and Brinley took turns with the camera. See I can smile! Had a very nice visit with Nathan and Brandi and the whole family.
Love from,
far away grand-ma and - pa

Always looking for new ways to survive in this fast changing economy Nathan has a part interest in and is the business manager at the Campus clinic at the University of Northern Colorado. The last picture he is at the sink at home helping out on Sunday.

This is Nathan age 39 at the office he has been working at for the last few years. He runs this clinic. Does physical therapy, chiropractic and acupuncture about three days a week.

I think these pictures of Natalie age 3 (4 in Oct.) demonstrate ATTITUDE and she has an abundance of attitude. She is so happy and fun most of the time but when she gets upset she digs in her heels and takes her stand and the operative word is NO. If you just go away for awhile most of the time you come back and there is a smile and a delightful giggle and life has righted itself again.

Brinley is seven and loves her scooter but not her missing front teeth. Her emotions are on the surface like a summers day. She can be sunny and smiling one minute and cloudy and rainy the next minute. She is always on the go like puffy white clouds scudding across the sky.

Pictures of Alexa Ginn age 9. Around the house but more importantly on walks with Grandma Ginn and climbing trees. Alexa looks kind of sick in some of these pictures because her tonsils were swollen. It was hard for her to talk or swallow.

Brandi's Brother Adam and his wife of one year Jessica. And one of Parker holding Brinley.

Here are pictures of Brandi's side of the family. Grandma and Grandpa Jim and Nancy Collins. Brandi's Sister and her husband Jeremy. Brandi's youngest brother Parker. Johnathan is not shown because he is serving a mission.

Wow Cassy would have loved to see some pictures of that ride!!!

In May I said to myself tjat I was going to go to the beach some this summer. Haven't been in years. What a waste people pay big bucks to get to and enjoy our beaches. so last night I told Marie that I was going to the beach tomorrow. Marie eally doesn't like the beach but she was kind enough to humor me today. We left about 3:45 so we wouldn't get burned and arrived at T street a little after 4 pm. Parking would have been a problem but not with my handicapped sticker. Right next to the over pass and it isn't even metered FREE. Got the stuff out of the car and trudged to the beach. Hasn't changed much in the last 50 years. I wanted to go in the water but my feet are just too tender. I did walk up and down the beach in my sandals tho. Mom read and said if I had asked she would have walked with me. OOOps
Don't look if it causes too much pain from the glare.

HI ALL! Well, I really had my adventure for today! For some time now, I’ve been considering riding my bike to work – for a couple of reasons, the first to save on gas considering it’s sooo expensive now, especially around here, the second to get some exercise, considering I’m such a slug and couch potato most of the time. I bought an all-terrain bike back in ’95 and road a lot then, but it’s been sitting in the garage ever since. A couple of months ago, I took it to the guys at ‘BUY MY BIKES’ (you remember them, across from Von’s in SJC – He’s the guy who does those outrageous commercials on public TV) – well, anyway, got it all ‘spruced up’ and took it home and that’s where it’s been ‘parked’ since. Everyone’s advice has been to ride a little each day, get my balance and bearings, tone up the ‘old thighs and calves’ so when I push off on that first ride to work, I’ll sort of be ready, so I won’t have a heart attack or fall off!! Well, do I listen to the wise and sage bikers out there – NOT!! I don’t exactly push off, I walk off down Dana Mesa (the horrendous hill getting to my house), off on my ‘Test Ride’ to work.

Not sure if all of you know, but I work off Forbes Road, in the Three Flags Commercial center (the north end of Forbes Road). By car, from my house it’s a 7 mile ride one way, not really sure how far by bike, but I’m thinking pretty close to the same. I’m thinking, hey, that won’t be too difficult (even though I haven’t been on a bike for over 10 years). I’m brave and adventurous – what the hay – I can do anything!! Of course, I’ve never been 58 and doing it, so I have to say it was more of a challenge than I thought, but I’m finally on my way.

As soon as I’m on the bike, I realize the tires are sort of low, not flat (thank heavens) but definitely ‘squishy’ which doesn’t help my riding or balance. I find the bike path at the end of Del Avion, make it into downtown SJC and get air in the tires at the Chevron station on the corner, take a ‘drink break’ and I’m off again.

I take the bike trail though the back of the barrio along the equestrian areas and it brings me out close to Camino Capistrano and Junipero Serra. This is a busy corner now because of J Serra High School, all the sports activities going on, cars going every which way. I wait at the corner, push the button for the ‘okay to walk’ sign and when it signals, I step off the curb – but I look to the left a little too late, a car is rounding the corner, I push down hard on my peddle and ‘SNAP’ I go nowhere – the chain has broken, so I limp back to the corner and consider my options. Heehee!! No cell phone, so can’t call anyone, the only thing to do is to walk the bike back to BUY MY BIKES, hoping they are open now (it’s only 8:45am) and buy a new chain and see how I feel after that. Have to say, it took a while to walk the distance. I haven’t walked that far or exercised that much at one time in years. As I’m walking along Camino Cap towards the Mission, and as the people are rushing by in their cars, I wonder if any of them are thinking, ‘Geez, lady, how come you aren’t riding that bike, instead of walking along beside it.’ If I was the one in the car, that’s what I would have been wondering. Being forced to walk, makes you look at your surroundings much closer. Makes you realize you do miss a lot, speeding along in your car. And no wonder I’m such a ‘chub’ because that’s all I do, speed along in my car!!

I made it to BUY MY BIKES (they open at 9 on Sat – YEAH!!) Glad I was there soon after they opened because they were able to take the bike right away, put a new link in the chain and I was on my way!! I did get a couple of new tires, sleeker for riding on road (they liked hearing my story so much, they threw in the tubes for free). I learned something about the chains too – I guess unless you absolutely have too, you don’t put on a new chain because the old one is fit to the gears and the new one would not fit the same! Learned something new today!!

I decided I would ride home, not continue on to work. I’d had enough exercise for today. I have to say, walking up the big hill (Dana Mesa) to my house was the toughest part of the ride. Made me wonder how hard it will be to make it up the hill after a days work and ride home. Also, I wondered if there will ever come a time I will be strong enough and in shape enough to ride up that hill - I hope so!!

At least I did prepare enough to bring water, Gatorade, food, rags to wipe the sweat from my face, ID and MONEY!! All the basics to sustain life!! Think of me this Monday; I’ll be starting off again on this adventure to ride to work. I’ll let you know how and if I make it!

Love you all,
Cassy