My Sister -KasiAnne

I figured since I told you all about my sister-in-law that it would
blend well into telling you about my actual sister. This entry could get rather long since of course I've known her for her entire life, being as I am the 'big' sister. I'll try to cut out all the family jokes and old stories to spare everyone.

What can I say about Kasi that hasn't already been said? She's a great sister. Sure we had our days as kids where we used to try to beat the crap out of each other. The day I realized she was my size and harder to pick on was a sad day...haha just kidding. She'll be the first to tell you that when she tattled to mom about me hitting her that mom would just tell her to hit me back. Then she figured out how to really get me, we had two steps from the living room to the kitchen in our house growing up. She figured out how to use those steps to her advantage by launching herself off the top step and pummeling me to the ground. We'd wrestle around til finally mom or dad would break us up. Dad would just say, "Be nice to each other, that is the only sister you'll ever have." Guess he didn't realize we'd have sisters in law someday. That's ok, he was right, we should be friends. Now she is one of my bestest!

Kasi took me in as a stray (and Mike too) when I moved home from Phoenix. I don't know if they realize how much it meant to me to stay with them for a few months while I waited for my renter to move out of my house and got caught back up on bills after the move. I know it was hard to have me there for so long, but they did it very graciously even through the days when Benny and I first met and would stay up late in their bonus room watching movies. She even fattened me up a bit while I was there with all of the dinners she made, well ok it was only 10 pounds and those are gone now. I was so spoiled though cause that was a nice perk of the Wilson hotel. :)

Kasi is a fantastic mom to Masynn and will be to baby Wilson on the way in May, she's a great wife to Mike and to me she's an amazing sister. I always value her opinion even if its rather blunt sometimes. Its her being her that makes me love her so much. Someday I'll need and want her advice with kids of my own. The best part of letting her have kids first is not only that people think she's older than me but that I'll get maternity clothes, hand me down kid stuff, and that ever so needed advice and built in babysitters.

I Love you Kasi, thanks for always being there for me even when I am a pain the butt. I couldn't have asked for a better sister.

BTW...I love that picture of us and even more so cause Doni in the background cracks me up. For those of you who don't know, Doni is one of Kasi's childhood friends the picture was taken at Doni's birthday party, so I guess since she was the birthday girl I'll let her get away with being the center of attention in our picture. LOL!

My 'Sister-In-Law' - Sara

This is Sara. Her husband Andy is Benny's younger brother. Although we are not technically sisters in law yet, I already consider her mine. I just wanted to post something about how great it is to have her in my life now. She's been incredibly inviting in making me feel welcome in the Clark family as she knows what its like to be in my shoes, the newbie and fitting in. Although with the Clarks I don't feel like I have to try to 'fit in' cause I just feel like I do. They've all been awesome and I already consider each one of them my family.

A funny story that Sara and I have about being 'sisters in law' is back a few months ago in June. Sara, pregnant with baby Cash at the time and me needing to go for my women's yearly check-up found out that we had appointments at the same office within 10 minutes of each other. So we decided to go together.

We arrive at the doctors office about 30 mintues early we both check in. I had to do mounds of paperwork since I hadn't been to that doctor for 4 years because of my stint in Phoenix. Sara gets called back within about 10-15 minutes. I sit there and I sit there and again I sit there. Finally about an hour and a half after we arrive I get called back. Sara was still back there when I finally went in.

I get in the exam room and I sit there, and I sit there and I sit there. Keep in mind I'm wearing that stupid backless gown...and that's it. Well, I may have kept my socks on. Either way, its after 5:00 at this point and I rode there with Sara. She's 8 months pregnant and I can just envision how uncomfortable she is sitting there in the waiting room chairs waiting for me. Me being in the fabulous backless gown can't just go strutting out to the waiting room to let her know I am still waiting for the doctor. Then finally I peeked my head out the door and found the nurse. I told her to let Sara know that I was still in there. I guess Sara had already asked about me and she told her nurse that she was waiting for her sister in law so she wouldn't have to explain everything. Then the nurse was so excited that we were related. I don't think Sara told her the story either way.

Eventually the cleaning crew came in for the night and was really starting to wonder. Finally I texted her. I told her I was still waiting. Finally the doctor came in and my appointment was only about 15-20 minutes long. So...3 hours later we finally got out of there! So much for riding together. Poor Sara had to wait for me forever because of my doctor's backlog of patients. Moral of the story, she didn't leave me there, that's when I knew for sure I liked her! Oh and never make doctors appointments in the afternoon. Always take the morning slots.

The picture is Sara and I at Deer Camp. I know the boys would say its appropriate that we are in the kitchen, but honestly we weren't in there all that much. Unless of course we were making our 'special Tea' as Sara called it. I just think its great that she and I get along so well. Although I already have an amazing sister, sisters are one of those things that you can never have enough of, well... ok there may be a limit (just ask my friend Robin who has 4 older ones). I am greatful that Sara and Andy have always told me how happy they are that Benny met me. I may not get to see her or spend time as often as I would like to but the time we do get to spend together is always fun. Plus we get to keep each other company while the boys are gone for a week and a half at Elk Camp.

Sara is a great mom of two handsome young guys Colton and Cash and from what Andy always tells me, she's a great wife as well. Here's to my new sister, Sara! :)

A Crazy Old Man & Ollie the Dancing Onion

This is my dad's property near Ephrata. We went up there on Saturday to winterize his well. That's his Jeep down there in the circle. He had that road made so that he can camp back in there.

He bought the property a while back while I was still living in Phoenix. This was the first time I had been up there to see it since he did. Its a nice drive through Washington farmland. I even remember my dad saying, "Feeding America" as we drove through. Made me smile, it is true. Lots of potatoes, onions and corn. Even some wheat fields. So yeah, feeding America is right. It all goes somewhere and eventually ends up on some of our tables. This piece of property however is out in the middle of pretty much no where. Kinda neat though to be around nothing but sagebrush. There was no noise and it was pretty on a sunny Saturday.

Here's a picture I took of dad in the bench he hauled up there to put on the overlook. Kinda neat, sure has a great view. Who knows someday maybe

there will be people living out there & companies making their products or just more farmland. Until then my dad will just enjoy going out there and camping and 'getting away from it all.'

Where you turn off the paved road there is an old run down farm with a crazy old man. He just sits in his old pick up. Really! He just sits there. You can see him in there just watching a whole lot of nothing. Guess there is a story about him shooting at the UPS man who tried to deliver him a package from his sister. The Sherriff ended up bringing to him and asked him why he shot at the UPS guy and he told him he didn't order anything. The Sherriff said well, your sister sent you something. I saw him, he was there when we turned off the road and still there when we got back on it to come home. Dad says he's almost always in there and in the summer he puts a wood pallet on the roof to block the sun. Weird!

Have you ever seen an 8 foot onion? I did, painted on the side of an onion shed and I made Dad stop and take my picture on the way home. I thought it was kinda cute. I'll call him Ollie the Dancing Onion.

Breakfast

Masynn stayed the night with Aunt Kari and Benny last night, she got up early with me and we joined Opa (my dad) and Grampie (my grandpa) for breakfast this morning. My dad and Grampie have gone to breakfast every Friday morning now for as long as I can remember. Every once and awhile I'll roll my lazy self out of bed early and join them. This morning it was a surprise to them both that Masynn came. Masynn just loves her Opa. She ordered a Kid Kake and it came as Mickey Mouse with M&M's on it. To my surprise she actually ate the entire thing. We even had to order her another. This is rare for the girl who eats like a bird and is as picky as they come with her food. Anytime she wants more we are happy to get her more, need to put some meat on those long skinny legs of hers. Speaking of chicken legs, the cutie with the long pretty skinny chicken legs came up with a new nickname for Benny last night. She now fondly refers to him as "Benny the Chicken." She said she can't call him uncle Benny yet cause we aren't married, but when we are married he'll be her Uncle Benny instead of "Benny the Chicken."

Kasi left Masynn's new big fluffy coat for her to wear to school today and she would have nothing of it. She was more excited about the tag with the puffer fish on it than the coat. We had to go by Kasi & Mike's house on the way to school to get her a sweatshirt to wear to class because she absolutley refused to wear that big coat. She's too smart sometimes cause she knows that by the time recess comes the coat will be too warm and she wouldn't want to wear it.

I'm about ready to start on a secret operation that Masynn and I have taken on for the holidays. She wanted me to get started while she was in class today so I guess its time to end the blog and get to work!

Thoughts for Today- Masynn

I'd really like to try to tell you about something going on in my life each day, yet have it be something actually interesting to read. The things that I generally find interesting sometimes bore others so I'll do my best. Who knows maybe this quest will find that my life can be and is more exciting than I sometimes think it is. Although, I enjoy my life very much most days it may not always be the most exciting.

Among some of the things that make me happy the things at the top of my list are Benny, my house (and most things to do with it other than the mortgage), my friends and family and for sure my most beautiful niece Masynn.

Today I want to tell you about Masynn. She's 5 now, well at least until December. She started kindergarten this year and is as smart as a whip. This I already knew but now her smarts are being tested in school now and from what she tells me, she's doing just fine and she likes it. Although I hear mostly about recess and snack time. In looking at her school picture its evident she is no longer baby Masynn but grown up young lady Masynn. Either way I am proud of her. She can sometimes be full of grouchy-ness and a bit cranky and kinda bossy, more so than the average kid (I'm gonna blame it on the red hair) but I still love her all the same because everything else about her makes me happy.

She never ceases to amaze me with her smarts. Masynn asked me in the car the other day about my job. She asked, "You draw houses at work, right?" I said, "well, yes houses and other buildings. " "Well, how do you draw them, with a pencil or on a computer?" "On a computer." "How do you draw on a computer?" "I have a special program that I learned how to used so that I can do it." "Hmmm... well do you have a pencil that is hooked to the computer?" "I guess kinda, its a mouse, just like the one you use on your Mommy's computer." "And you can draw a house with it?" "Yep!" "That's neat, so it draws lines and stuff?" "Yes, it does." "But how?" "I tell it where to put the lines and how long I want them to be." "So you draw all kinds of lines and put them together to make a house?" "Yes, that's what I do." And as she motioned with her hands she said, "Well, we learned about lines in school. The art teacher told us that lines that go up and down are vertical, lines that go side to side are horizontal and lines that go kinda sideways are diagonal."

All I can say is, I was so proud! I continue to be each time I am with her. I am also extremely proud that my sister is her mother. KasiAnne is an amazing mom, Mike is an amazing dad and they've created this amazing little person that is an absolute joy in my life.

Bathroom Cabinet

So we just got back from Deer Camp last week and Benny leaves a week from today for Elk Camp. If its not hunting its fishing and if its not fishing its hunting. The best part about it is that we don't have to buy ground meat, ever. Plus deer and elk taste much better and is leaner than beef. For people who eat meat with nearly every dinner this is a huge bonus.

Ok the other good part is that while Benny is gone, I get tons of things done around the house. Heck, I came home from deer camp 3 days before him and painted both of our bathrooms. I even refinished a cabinet my dad gave me and hung it in my tiny bathroom for some much needed storage. Its a good feeling of accomplishment and a great thing to keep me busy while he is gone. Its great he enjoys the hunting so much, but I sure miss him when he's gone. I already can't wait for him to get home and he doesn't even leave for another week!

Here's the cabinet before & after

Deer Camp

Benny and I on my day one of deer camp, his day 3. That's the Tucannon behind us.