2008 -
What a year! We don't really remember much about the first of the year, but we DO remember June. Alex's best friend Cody graduated from Richland High School, my parents came to visit and look at real estate, Paine golfed, Alex skateboarded (and taught skateboard lessons at the Kennewick Parks Dept.), Dirk painted curbs and went to camp, Gayle worked at Dream Dinners and Tapteil Winery. Whew!
On 4th of July weekend, we went camping (the 4 of us, Cody and Hunter) to Ft. Stevens State Park (the northwest corner of Oregon). Good thing we put a trailer hitch on our Honda van! See photos.
At the end of July, Paine, his nephew Lee (from Texas) and Alex drove to cousin Steve's in Anaconda, Montana to golf. See photos.
In August we hosted the Willowbrook Wine Event at Tapteil. To see more, go to http://www.willowbrookcc.blogspot.com/
Gayle also formed a "Women Who Wine" group. They go to different local wineries once a month. To see more, go to http://www.womenwhowhine.blogspot.com/
Paine did his usual golf trip on Labor Day weekend to Orange County, CA.
After Gayle's parents got back to Southern Calif., they started getting their two houses ready to sell. They worked really hard on the Cambria beach house, thinking it would take awhile to sell. They cleaned it so well, that it sold in one week and at the full asking price! So, they started looking harder for a house online in the Richland area. They spotted one that caught their eye, Gayle went and looked at it , knew it was the perfect house and ----- they bought it without seeing it! See photos.
So, in the meantime, Gayle went to Nashville, TN to see Gwen & Carl Hubert, then drove up to Louisville, Kentucky and Henryville, Indiana for the annual scrapbooking retreat. See photos.
Paine invited his buddy Howie from Vermont for some fishing on the Columbia River. See photos.
The 1st of November we were cleaning the new house, having the floors refinished and making it sparking clean for Jack & Jimee. It would have been awful if they walked into their new house and didn't like it. They arrived on Sunday, Nov.16 and they LOVED it! The truck arrived the next day with all their BOOKS! Oh, and the furniture. What they didn't know was that Gregg (their youngest son) had just bought Jack a 1958 Ford Edsel Pacer on ebay the day before. Now we had to keep it a secret from them until it arrived from West Virginia. We kept busy, unpacking boxes and decorating. We needed to get grandma Willa's rooms ready for her arrival around the end of November. Nana is 90 and she was living in the same complex as Mom & Dad in Seal Beach. Now they are going to live here together. The house is perfect for them. Nana has her own side of the house with a bedroom, living room/kitchen and bathroom. The laundry room is close, also. Mom & Dad have the Master Suite on the other side of the family room. The walkin closet was as big as their old carport! The kitchen is very big with a pantry and dinette area, they have a formal living room, dining room and a guest room/office. Dirk has taken up residence there on Friday nights. Jack got a 3 car garage and a shed in anticipation that he'd finally GET an Edsel. He was about to give up hope.
We had our first Thanksgiving dinner together with Gayle's parents in 18 years. See photos. Grandma Willa didn't make it for Thanksgiving- the airlines were booked, but she arrived with Uncle Bill from Alaska on Dec. 3rd.The Edsel showed up on Dec. 10 at 7a.m. We hid it in a local garage and had Alex & Cody detail it.
On 4th of July weekend, we went camping (the 4 of us, Cody and Hunter) to Ft. Stevens State Park (the northwest corner of Oregon). Good thing we put a trailer hitch on our Honda van! See photos.
At the end of July, Paine, his nephew Lee (from Texas) and Alex drove to cousin Steve's in Anaconda, Montana to golf. See photos.
In August we hosted the Willowbrook Wine Event at Tapteil. To see more, go to http://www.willowbrookcc.blogspot.com/
Gayle also formed a "Women Who Wine" group. They go to different local wineries once a month. To see more, go to http://www.womenwhowhine.blogspot.com/
Paine did his usual golf trip on Labor Day weekend to Orange County, CA.
After Gayle's parents got back to Southern Calif., they started getting their two houses ready to sell. They worked really hard on the Cambria beach house, thinking it would take awhile to sell. They cleaned it so well, that it sold in one week and at the full asking price! So, they started looking harder for a house online in the Richland area. They spotted one that caught their eye, Gayle went and looked at it , knew it was the perfect house and ----- they bought it without seeing it! See photos.
So, in the meantime, Gayle went to Nashville, TN to see Gwen & Carl Hubert, then drove up to Louisville, Kentucky and Henryville, Indiana for the annual scrapbooking retreat. See photos.
Paine invited his buddy Howie from Vermont for some fishing on the Columbia River. See photos.
The 1st of November we were cleaning the new house, having the floors refinished and making it sparking clean for Jack & Jimee. It would have been awful if they walked into their new house and didn't like it. They arrived on Sunday, Nov.16 and they LOVED it! The truck arrived the next day with all their BOOKS! Oh, and the furniture. What they didn't know was that Gregg (their youngest son) had just bought Jack a 1958 Ford Edsel Pacer on ebay the day before. Now we had to keep it a secret from them until it arrived from West Virginia. We kept busy, unpacking boxes and decorating. We needed to get grandma Willa's rooms ready for her arrival around the end of November. Nana is 90 and she was living in the same complex as Mom & Dad in Seal Beach. Now they are going to live here together. The house is perfect for them. Nana has her own side of the house with a bedroom, living room/kitchen and bathroom. The laundry room is close, also. Mom & Dad have the Master Suite on the other side of the family room. The walkin closet was as big as their old carport! The kitchen is very big with a pantry and dinette area, they have a formal living room, dining room and a guest room/office. Dirk has taken up residence there on Friday nights. Jack got a 3 car garage and a shed in anticipation that he'd finally GET an Edsel. He was about to give up hope.
We had our first Thanksgiving dinner together with Gayle's parents in 18 years. See photos. Grandma Willa didn't make it for Thanksgiving- the airlines were booked, but she arrived with Uncle Bill from Alaska on Dec. 3rd.The Edsel showed up on Dec. 10 at 7a.m. We hid it in a local garage and had Alex & Cody detail it.
See photos of it coming off the delivery truck.
Paine & Gayle went to Walla Walla to the Green Gables Inn for a belated 18 year anniversary weekend.
We planned a Christmas party for Dec. 20 at Columbia Valley Luxury Cars showroom. Our friends, the Merz' helped us arrange the surprise. All our friends (and Paine's brother Bob) showed up at 5pm. We had food, music, wine and beautiful cars to gawk at. At 6:00, Gayle introduced her parents and grandma. Then she told them that we had a little surprise. Just like Vanna, she turned around, the garage door rolled up, and Santa came driving into the party in the Edsel. Jack said "Will you look at that!" and he had tears in his eyes. See all the photos and newspaper article in the Tri-City Herald.
Paine's cousin Steve came from Montana to spend Christmas with us, too. We had a houseful!
We didn't get any Christmas cards out (and now you know why), so hopefully you got a Valentine instead.We are so grateful to have more family here and all the wonderful friends like you- we are truly blessed.Please email or call us anytime (or check our blog to see what's up!)
Paine & Gayle went to Walla Walla to the Green Gables Inn for a belated 18 year anniversary weekend.
We planned a Christmas party for Dec. 20 at Columbia Valley Luxury Cars showroom. Our friends, the Merz' helped us arrange the surprise. All our friends (and Paine's brother Bob) showed up at 5pm. We had food, music, wine and beautiful cars to gawk at. At 6:00, Gayle introduced her parents and grandma. Then she told them that we had a little surprise. Just like Vanna, she turned around, the garage door rolled up, and Santa came driving into the party in the Edsel. Jack said "Will you look at that!" and he had tears in his eyes. See all the photos and newspaper article in the Tri-City Herald.
Paine's cousin Steve came from Montana to spend Christmas with us, too. We had a houseful!
We didn't get any Christmas cards out (and now you know why), so hopefully you got a Valentine instead.We are so grateful to have more family here and all the wonderful friends like you- we are truly blessed.Please email or call us anytime (or check our blog to see what's up!)
Paine, Gayle, Alex, & Dirk.
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