Welcome to Arizona, Holly

Welcome to Arizona, Miss Holly. After picking up Holly in Mesa and having her plane come in 15 minutes early, we were off to Eloy, MN. On the way, we kept looking for a DQ but of course, when you're looking, you can't find one. We did find a little ice cream joint which served the purpose. This is where they do outdoor skydiving but because we were experiencing high winds, they were not able to skydive. Next best thing is to go to the indoor skydiving arena. They have big blowers and people are able to experience the feeling of skydiving. Sorry we didn't get any pictures of the inside. After leaving Eloy, we made it to church just in time for the Youth Service. It was a very nice service. Ended the evening at Wienschnitzel for hotdogs and chili/cheese fries. Monday is shopping day - a day that Holly and I thought we were going to be going it alone but Grampa came along. Unfortunately he was not around when Holly was trying on dresses or he could have given us his opinion. This is the picture of the Kohl's dress. I thought it was very cute on Holly but I'm not sure she liked the little "ruffle thing" over the boobs.

On to the Foothills Mall where I went to Kirkland's to find some "inspiration" for my new kitchen. There was an Old Navy store there and they had a couple of navy blue dresses and a really cute eyelet sundress but it was black Here's our girl:

Aunt Amy, this is the one that Old Navy had in white also. It's really cute. We think you should take a look at it.

This was a knit sundress in navy, also at Old Navy. Only thing with this one was that it was a little lowcut and you would have to wear something under it but it was still cute!!

Check out the new sunglasses!!!!

NO, these are not Holly's new sunglasses. She had to wear Grampa's glasses until we could find some for her. We found this at Old Navy and besides the fact that they're really cute, they were on sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure what's on the agenda for today, but it'll be fun whatever it is. We're planning to play mini-golf before going to pizza with the others at the park this afternoon. We "may" do a little more shopping or we may clean the house or we may go swimming. You just never know!!

Have a great day and see ya tomorrow. Love from warm, sunny Arizona

MOM

The Man Cave

No, we're not in the tropics, we're here at Wagons West at the Spring Fling Luau. Don't we look good? Welcome to our new home!!! This is our front door.

Our "new" living room furniture, compliments of Uncle Rich and Aunt Henrietta. I really like the color it adds to the living room but it's not quite what I want. For now, we're going to just get dad a recliner and then probably wait til next fall for the rest. What do you think of that "beautiful" lamp in the corner. It's on loan also until I find what I want.

Dad's workshop shed plus my laundry room. The washer and dryer are old but I used them yesterday and they work great. Lucky me!!!

THIS IS THE MAN CAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see, it's nothing special, just a carpeted room with sheet-rocked walls. I suggested painting the ceiling a nice white but dad and Roger said, NO Way!!! Because when they smoke their cigars and drink their beer, they don't want the white ceiling getting all yellow???!!

There's a little closet in the corner for the vaccum and things like that. We'll put some new fabric on it once dad decides what his theme will be. Behind the burgandy rug is an air conditioner.

As Porky Pig used to say, "Thhhhhhhhat's all, folks!"

Have a super, stupendous week. How can you hep but have a great week, Amy. LOVE your ring.

MOM

We Have The Key!!!

We got the key today even though we haven't made our final payment yet. So here's a tour of our new home. Forgot to take a picture of the front door - will do that the next time we're in there. This is a picture of the kitchen taken from the living room.

The head end of the bedroom. I have a friend here in the park who has the exact same model trailer and she says this cupboard is a total waste of space but we'll see. I'm not sure I have any knick knacks for this space but time will tell.

This is in the bedroom, taken from the window by the back door. There are 3 sets of 3 drawers - the 3rd one is behind the sliding mirrored door and then there's space to hang long clothes.
There is storage space above the closet also.

This is the door into the bathroom taken from beside the bed. The bathroom has two doors - one from the hall and the other from the bedroom. I plan to paint the mirror, light fixture and the vanity, probably a light green since the wallboard has white with light green ferns in it. There is carpet in the bathroom - same as the entire trailer.

Taken from the living room looking at the kitchen, dining area and down the hall to the bedroom. What do you think of the chandelier, DeAnn? Dad says it's beautiful.

The living room taken from the hall by the kitchen area. The living room looks huge now; we'll see how much furniture we end up getting for that room. I want space to pull the table out. Plan to take our old chairs from our trailer and put in there to begin with, just to gauge space. Then they'll go out to the "man cave".

Well, this is our new home. Plan to paint the living room and some of the bathroom before we go home. I would like to paint the ceiling but that's a hard thing to do with my neck. Will paint the kitchen a nice bright color, maybe even burgandy again once I get my living room furniture.

What do you think?

MOM

I plan to get dad a sign for his birthday that reads: "Peter's Man Cave"

Our New Home In Tucson

Here's a picture of the new homeowners. They sure look happy about their new venture, don't they?

Our new home, come January 2012. We will begin moving some things in next week but will not be properly moved in until next season. Site #129
This is the carport. I did not get a good picture of the driveway - it is not cement but a very nice brick patio. Just what dad wanted all along.

THIS is the "MAN CAVE" and dad is so excited. It has a double door - the sliding one on the picture and then another inside door with a deadbolt so only those with the secret password will be allowed in. I want dad to decorate it like his family room back home. We have some extra pictures and cars that would look beautiful in there and I have some extra fabric to make some curtains or valances for him. What do you think?

Our front door - welcome to the Casa Haan.

Our current home that we will be leaving behind. Note the new Southwestern art that we just put on the front. It will be going with us.

That's it from Arizona for today. Love to you both for all of your wise words and encouragement during this process.

MOM

Landscaping is Finished

Good afternoon, dear daughters and granddaughter,

Dad went hiking with the park again yesterday. He said it was a good hike, about 4 miles, 3 hours. He told me he was bringing up the "rear". They have an older lady, Ruby, who likes to go on all the hikes - she's the one above with the gray hair. She usually has a need to use the restroom on the hikes and as you probably know, there aren't restrooms every haf mile or so. It's my understanding that you just go off a ways in the desert and go. Last hike Peggy (above) was the "rear" so she helped Ruby out. Since dad was the rear yesterday, he had to wait while Ruby did "her business". He said it took her so long, that he was beginning to be a bit worried but what was he to do? The other hikers kept going while he waited and waited. In fact, another male hiker, Ralph, came back to see what the problem was. Eventually Ruby came out of the desert. By this time, the majority of the hikers were so far ahead that the 3 tail-enders couldn't see them, soooo Ralph calls ahead and asks them to "wait up" - we're coming!!!

Here are some of the beautiful, unusual cacti that dad saw along the hike.

These are our neighbors across the street, Gene and Gayl who hail from southern Wisconsin. They're a really neat couple - they're expecting a visit from us this summer.

Found out today that the front-line hikers yesterday saw two cougars pass in front of them on the trail - all dad saw was a jackrabbit, but these too are quite rare, especially in the midwest. When dad was growing up, they were quite common but no onger. We've seen them several times here in Arizona - note the long ears - that's why they're called "jack rabbits".

The front yard landscaping is finished!!! and I think it looks wonderful. Several people have asked if dad is going to put out his landscaping shingle - he says NO!!!

Now we're busy painting the brown trim on the trailer just to spruce it up - then dad will do some polishing on the outside while hopefully I can get started on painting my cupboards.

That's it from Sunny Arizona. Have a great week.

Love you forever, MOM

Landscape Update

This was the sky yesterday afternoon when I was walking down the street about 5:30. It was really pretty off in the west.

Here's my new trailer art. Amy, for your information DeAnn wanted us to buy this HUGE lizard for the front of the trailer and I said no. Besides it was $150. This one was $12 - no brainer as far as I'm concerned. He's really cute, isn't he? What do you think I should name him? Any suggestions, Holly.

Dad piled a bunch of his rocks in the side of the driveway the other night and when Rich and Henrietta were over, she said she kinda liked them there. So he piled a few more and we're going to put some ivy inbetween the rocks. We can always moved them again if dad runs into them with the car.

Here's the landscaping - all we're waiting for now is the rock which will come next week. Looking good, isn't it? He's gotten LOTS of good compliments on the job.

That's it from lovely, WARM, sunny Tucson. Have a great weekend. Love to you al

MOM

Our New Landscaping - A Work in Progress

After spending at least a year thinking and contemplating what to do with our "front yard", Dad starting putting in pavers yesterday. We were very fortunate because the day we were going to Lowe's to buy the pavers, someone was giving a bunch away. Dad didn't have quite enough and yesterday when he was working, a group of ladies out walking told him about another person in the park who was giving some more away, soooooooooooooooooo we got all our pavers free. Now I can spend the money on a new countertop and sink.
Of course, dad isn't finished. He has the outline done but will continue work for a few more days. It's looking good though and he's getting LOTS of compliments from people walking by.

Amy, do you see the little snake by the blue ball? It's a little cloth snake. It SCARED DeAnn big time - I laughed but after seeing her face, I felt sorry for her. We put it in the middle of the rocks so it will look more realistic.

If you look very carefuy in the midde by the white skirting, you will see a litte lizzard. He was scrambling around in the rocks while dad was working. Dad accidently pulled his tail off and it wiggled around in the rocks by itself, unattached for several minutes - amazing!! Lucky lizzard will grow another one though.

Here's our "new" car for the week - it's an HHR - bright red. Haven't really gone anywhere in it yet but have to get groceries and do some running this afternoon. I can't drive it so dad has to take me. They said it would probably take a week to get ours repaired. Guess what, DeAnn, the door does not screech and squeak when you open it.

Have a super week - it's going to be another warm one here today - inside the trailer it was close to 90 degrees but it's very pleasant in my swing out on the patio.

MOM