POM Beasley

May Birthday Extravaganza

2010-07-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

I didn't get this posted in May like I should've but I was just too busy, but we had so much fun in May with Jana's visit with the girls and then a trip to Southern California for Zach's and Elie's birthdays. Just love time with them. You can see the pictures on 2010-05-31 cuz we all know Every Picture Tells a Story Don't It...so need I say more?

Picasa Web Albums - Joann: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

From Sea to Shining Sea

2010-07-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

Last month we took the road trip we call the America the Beautiful Tour with Thelma and Louise...aka Elie and Ava (with Ava's middle name Louise, that seems most appropriate). It was a great trip moving Jana and Ben from Seattle to Columbia, (actually Irmo) South Carolina, so literally from sea to shining sea.....or about an hour short of that actually. And we were able to see the land where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope actually play. It was absolutely beautiful. I kept waiting for a boring part that I could nap through or read a good book, but it never did get boring. It seemed we never had enough time to explore any spot we stopped at so we decided we'd have to return each summer to explore one of these areas we loved. Glacier Park is a definite must return to see and I wouldn't mind another trip through Montana and South Dakota. I really liked the stop at Custer's Last Stand and really got the feel of the battle on those rolling hills. It made me so glad we were there the day we were and not the 134 years earlier on the day that the battle happened. The weather was beautiful until we hit Iowa I think it was where all the sudden we pull in to stop one night after being in the nice air conditioned car all day and see the outside temperature on the car says 100 degrees and we figured it had to be broken, but as we stepped outside we about died. So hot and so humid. From then on, it was hot humid weather, crazy rain storms and thunder and lightening and even tornado watches in Illinois. One night we pulled into our hotel after the most drenching rain storm I've ever been in...in fact I don't know how Dave and Ben made it through it cuz you couldn't even see the road. And the next day when we were in Nauvoo, we cut our visit a little short cuz there was thunder and lightning going on just overhead...in fact there was this one huge clap of thunder that made me make a grab for Ava and Dave said he saw it strike on the ground just over the river and he could see all the colors in the bolt. We went on to Carthage to go to Carthage Jail and that was a real special visit as well. The storm was going on as the Sister Missionary gave us the tour so it really added to the experience of the jail and the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum. I really appreciated that stop as well. Ava was so sweet. The Sister Missionary was explaining how special it was for her to be there to give the tours and express her testimony every day in the room where the Prophet was martyred and she asked Ava if she had a testimony and Ava said, "No I don't have a testimony...(and then pause and then she said)......but I know my Mommy does". She got to stand next to the Sister in the room as well and she asked very good questions afterwards. We also made our way through Tennessee on the way and went through the Smokey Mountains. They were really nice but you had to go through this hokey section that should've taken only a half hour to drive through but cuz of all of the red stop lights at every intersection, it took 1 1/2 hours. But we did get to the Smokey Mountains eventually which were a lot like the drive between Willits and Fort Bragg but just with more rain and fog...and at the end of this was the great adventure of Maggie Valley and everything in the town was called Maggie something...Maggie Cafe, Maggie Crafts., etc. Then we pushed as hard as we could to make up for lost time and get into Irmo cuz we were SOOOO tired of driving. Thanks you Jana and Ben for being patient with me on that last bit so I could say I saw the Smokey Mountains and Maggie Valley. By the way, in defense of this detour, when I asked Ava what her favorite part of the whole trip was, it was this section she mentioned with the upside down hotel and the dragon coming out of the castle....so there you are.

Jana and Ben are in a beautiful place and I think they'll really like it once they're all settled in. It seems like they're already making good friends...one of whom even took Jana to Twilight opening day so how cool is that. They live in a beautiful house that is only lacking a white picket fence, that is in a beautiful neighborhood that has a great running loop in it, and there is any and every store close by to make life comfortable...well the Costco is supposed to be coming soon. I'll be anxious for our next visit there where we can just go and enjoy it all and not have to unpack boxes and switch lights and mow lawns...not that there was anything wrong with that. Any time we're with our kids and grandkids is a great time for us. Here are some pictures from our great adventure....don't feel you have to go through them all but enjoy what you do look at. The album is South Carolina or Bust

Picasa Web Albums - Joann: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Knock, Knock...Who's There???

2010-04-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of years, every spring at nesting season we've had this little bird come to our bedroom window and start tapping on the window pane at the break of dawn...usually about 5:30 or 6 a.m. In the past he has tapped on the window just a few times and then gone on his way. It may disturb our early morning sleep but nothing major cuz we tend to just doze right back off. We've always thought that the early morning sun caused a reflection in the glass that made him think that another male bird was trying to invade his turf and he was pecking at him. Well this year either this bird is getting old and all winter has thought about this invading male and how he was going to smoke his shorts this year, or Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest has produced a hybrid dominant male that is crazy persistent, but this little guy has been starting his early morning tapping at the good ol' 5:30 time and taps for about a minute, then flies into the tree for a minute and then comes back and taps for another minute, etc., etc., etc. And he doesn't give up after the sun comes up....he does it ALL DAY LONG!!! A warning now to all animal lovers....do not read on.....but Dave has even gotten out the pellet gun, taken off the screen and has laid in wait for this little guy but he is smart and has eluded Davey Crockett Beasley so far. I'll just say, Dave has admitted that he has fallen asleep with his chin resting on the dresser and the pellet gun cocked and aimed out the window and is startled awake by this little guy's next set of tappings. No wonder he misses. I just don't know how much longer this little guy will last though. We have had a slight reprieve from him in the last two days cuz the early morning storms have been blustery enough, he hasn't come around quite as early, but this was him about mid-morning today....and I hear the weather report is expecting clear skies on the horizon. So the next 5:30 a.m. awakening may be his last....I don't care how cute he is.

Grandma Withdrawals

2010-04-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Zach.....I'm missing you BIG guy. Can you ask your mom to blog me some of your new adventures....and include your sister too please. Thank you......Love you Grandma

Honey 9-1-1

2010-03-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

I have found that part of a grandmother's job description includes 9-1-1 service. I got a call the other day and the sweet angelic voice of little Ava was on the other end saying "Honey, some mean man is trying to steal my mommie's money." I instantly had the picture of my Jana...my firstborn who took the use of forceps to be born, who I nurtured and prayed for and cried over, was lying in some gutter with her purse ripped from her arm and an open gashing wound to her forehead...and her dear sweet Ava calling her Honey to solve this dilemma. Thank goodness for Ava's calmness because it kept me from flipping out. So I asked her how is the mean man steeling your mommie's money, to which she replied in a way that reeked with How ignorant are you?...but she politely stated, "With a pen Honey.....to write on the paper". Well then Jana got on the phone and explained how some crazy guy in Houston has somehow made up some official looking checks and is writing bad checks throughout the greater State of Texas using Ben's name and info. Now not to lighten up the seriousness and hassle this causes in their life, I cannot say how grateful I was that Jana and her pocket book were all in one piece....and I learned I don't think I could ever handle the stress of being a 9-1-1 operator. But for now I do hope this all gets settled soon...If you own a business in Texas, please do not accept a check from anyone claiming to be our Ben; you're upsetting our Ava.

This One's for You Dana....May you be part of this choir some day.

2010-02-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

You Tube took this beautiful video off for some reason so you'll have to put on your CD I sent you of Andrea Bocelli with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing "The Lord's Prayer" together for the inspiration behind this post.

Ben: Your girls are alive and doing well

2010-02-06T15:49:00.001-08:00

Ben has been nice enough to let us borrow his sweet girls for a little over a week. Ben, I just want to send you proof that they are alive and doing well and seem for all intents and purposes to be having a good time. One of the first things Ava wanted to do was to take a ride on Wall-E because she said you told her to be sure to. Unfortunately I couldn't manage Ava, Wall-E AND the camera to get a picture, but I assure you, it did happen and Ava says that Wall-E was CRAZY!!. But we have had lots of fun, gone to Caper Acres, gone for walks, thrown rocks in lakes ("puddles"). swung, slid and spring rode, taken baths, read books, got all inked up with stamp pictures, taken more baths, watched UP and ate popcorn, visited Granny Beasley, been to Burger Hut, had a play date with Dominique and the week is still young. I hear Papa has the quadrunner running...quick girls, lets get our shoes on and go see!!!!...pictures to follow.

Oh Momma Don't Take My Kodachrome Away

2010-02-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

Well the new camera has arrived and here are just a few of my first attempts at using a REAL camera. I can tell this is going to take lots of practice. ......Kodachrome, it gives us those nice bright colors; Gives us the greens of summers; Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah!I got a Pentax camera; I love to take a photograph.......So Momma, don't take my Kodachrome away.Maggie's Mission President sent us a copy of her picture upon her arrival at the Mission Home after a super LONG day of travel back in Nov but I didn't have any way to put it on our computer since I can't get our scanner to work so one of the first pictures I took with this camera was a picture of THAT picture. Hey Maggie!!!

Then there's the candid picture of my handsome husband....this camera needs no special effects to get that point across.

Then there was the picture taken through our front window....I wish this window was bigger so I could see the pond better from my living room couch. Can you work on that Dave?

Pictures of a project Dave is working on for a play at Chico State

It looks good in all directions.

Close up.....
Dramatic close up.....
Close up front..... and close behind......

Which one is crazier, Dave or the shield?
And then over the meadow and through the woods to a visit to Granny's house we go.....the camera cannot deny her beauty still at 101.

Momma don't take my Kodachrome...and leave your boy so far from home....Momma don't take my Kodachrome away hey hey hey....

Blogging Alert, Blogging Alert

2010-01-14T15:41:00.001-08:00

Blogging Alert, Blogging Alert!!~~~~
If blogs could have sound added to them, I would add that obnoxious sound that comes across the TV when they are about to warn you in the event of a disaster. This isn't bad news though, but it still warrants something....As you could tell from my last blog post, my camera is dying....I know Forks is kind of spooky and Washington State is renowned for it's gray overcast skies, but PINK skies??? really. And worse yet to have it's decline happen when spending Christmas with granddaughters no less...and cute photogenic ones at that. So upon our return home, I started looking for a new camera even though it is a great splurge right after Christmas spending. My reasoning is that I have Jana and the girls coming for a visit the first of February and I had to be ready...purple Ava's or green Elie's just seems too odd. Well after great research and a great sale at Best Buy online, I have ordered a Pentax K-x which should come in the mail on Monday if the shipping info is correct. I am so EXCITED!!!! ....she said in her best Kristen Wiig voice. So be prepared to see some AWESOME pictures on my blog on Tuesday....smile pretty Wal-EE and Babe cuz I have a feeling you'll be my first subjects.

In Search of a little Twilight Madness

2010-01-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

In Search of Twilight Madness!!
With our recent trip to Seattle to spend Christmas with Jana and Ben and the girls, we decided to take a side trip around the Olympic Peninsula which takes you right through the heart of Twilight Country and Forks, Washington, and the La Push Indian Reservation....right into the very depths of the Bella and Edward and Jacob saga. With the New Moon CD playing in the car to set the mood we drove on to Forks in hopes of catching a glimpse of something that would stick with us; that would stay forever etched in our minds ~~well Dave drove and I searched ~~ and we were not soon to be disappointed..... The pictures will tell it all. (You'll have to click on the pictures to be able to read the captions...didn't realize they would turn out so small.)

And as we drove out of site of Forks with our memories treasured in our very souls, Dave saw the scariest of all sites to the side of a road that made him actually stop the car and turn us around for one more closer look.....a rusty old Studebaker truck parked on the roadside becoming no more than an empty shell in the midst of the misty morning haze. We bid you our fond farewell Forks.

This is Dedicated to the One I Love

2009-11-07T10:21:00.001-08:00

I made a commitment a long time ago to run at least one marathon for each of my kids. Jana got CIM 1999 in Sacramento my first which was a real thrill to know I could do it, Dana got Boston 2000 which was the coldest thing I've ever done but the awe of running Boston was WOW!!, Jonathan got Boston 2001 which was my biggest boost cuz I took my whole family with me, Maggie ran a bit of it with me (against the rules) and a South Korean won it instead of a Kenyon so it was just downright amazing all the way around, and then for the last 8 years I've contemplated what marathon I would run for Maggie. London and Paris ran through my mind several times and those were big favorites among my family who all asked if I'd take them with me. I was in no hurry to decide, but really eight years is a long time to come to a decision. Last year Maggie decided she wasn't going to wait for me to run a marathon for her, she'd do it herself....and she did. St. George Marathon. With two bad knees and the coldest, rainiest, windiest St. George on record, AND the first race she'd EVER run before (barring high school track), she ran it and finished it with a smile on her face and a Forrest Gump running story to tell at the finish line. AMAZING!! I had planned to meet Maggie on the course last year and run in the last 6 miles with her and when I think about the moment when we found each other last year and ran to each other in that slow motion moment from a movie and hugged each other and then ran the rest of the way in together, it still makes my eyes fill up and squeezes my heart, so I knew that St. George had to be Maggie's marathon....that plus Adam nagging me to do it. It was definitely not my best marathon....it was much harder to train for, and in my old age I had to fight bursitis of my hip and hemorrhoids of all embarrassment; either of which is enough to knock you out. But to St. George I went. I got to run for a few seconds with both Jon and Adam who got stuck towards the back of the pack through their own mishaps and had to weave their way up to catch me. That was cool. Jon passed me once that I didn't see but we crossed paths again when he had to stop for a potty break and he came out just as I was going by. I caught sight of him just ahead of me on a steep downhill section and gave it my all to catch up to him. I felt like in one of those spy movies when two guys jump out of a plane and before they pull their parachutes, they make like a bullet and try to catch each other. I did that and sped right to him but was only able to say Hi and exchange a few words before he was far ahead of me again. That was at about the halfway mark. The whole race I was fighting an upset stomach so that at each of the aid stations, I was only able to take in about three sips of water. I kept thinking, I've gotta take a GU pack or I'm not going to have any energy at the end but my stomach kept saying "WHAT". But I felt good in the fact that I was taking on the hills with no problems and even passing people on the hills thanks to Jon's coaching technique on how to tackle a hill and the downhills weren't bothering me and when I got to the place I remember catching up with Maggie last year, I thought....hey really I'm almost there....at least that's what I told Maggie last year. I had tried forcing some GU down from the halfway mark to here but just couldn't get more than about a half a pack down and then I got to the 4 miles left mark and I could feel that it was going to be a struggle. When I got close to the two mile mark I knew I was in for trouble. I tried calling Dana and Adrianne waiting at the finish line on my cell phone....(you can seen the camera caught me in the process of this in Picture #5) but couldn't get through and when I got to the last 2 miles I couldn't feel what my legs were doing any more. I looked at my watch and at 3:50 I knew I couldn't make my goal of keeping my time in a three-hour range but I knew I could still hopefully make my goal of running a Boston qualifying time....so with the argument going on between my mind and body, my body won out and I chose to walk and run the last two miles....I couldn't believe I'd do that cuz in past marathons when I've seen people walk in those last few miles, I've always thought, how can they give up when you're so close....BUT YOU CAN when you can't feel your legs. When I started walking, this guy next to me started walking too and I told him "I can't feel my legs" and he said "I wish I couldn't feel my legs". So I struggled between walking and running. This one lady had her two girls running next to her encouraging her along cuz she was really struggling too and I thought I wish I had that cuz she did pass me up, but then further along, she crashed and nothing they said could help her and I passed her by. Coming around the last corner, I was about to walk to the end myself but this young teenage boy on the sidelines came up to me and said, "DON'T YOU DARE QUIT...YOU RUN!!" I politely thanked him and ran to the end....or hobbled in. Dana and the kids were at the shoot yelling for me but I didn't hear them. I did see Adrianne on the other side though. But Dana said she yelled and yelled and finally said. "TAKE YOUR HEADPHONES OUT OF YOUR EARS!!" So I crossed the finish at 4:09.... didn't keep it in three hours but did qualify for Boston......So here's to you Maggie! Do I have to run one for Dave now too??

Oh...OH That I Were an Angel

2009-11-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

There are so many things that I LOVE today.
1. I love modern technology that allows us to talk to each other even when we're far apart. We got a call from Maggie yesterday morning from the airport as she was leaving the MTC and winging her way to Houston to begin her mission. I love that girl.
2. I love the baggage lady (she must have a soft spot for missionaries) who overlooked that Maggie's luggage was overweight when she checked in her bags and didn't charge her more.....$50 is enough. Don't know why the Church doesn't use Southwest that doesn't charge for luggage but what can you do. Even that won't change the love I have in my heart right now.
3. I love that Maggie has a great Mission President and that he has a great wife and family. Last night as I sat wondering if Maggie got to her destination safely, POW!!! I get an email from Sister Saylin telling us that Maggie along with the other 7 missionaries entering Texas Houston South Mission that day had arrived and gave us a little synopsis of their activities of the day AND a wonderful picture....Does it get better than that. I LOVE modern technology. AND she told us how much they already love this new set of missionaries after just associating with them for this short period time....She is not only a sweet and thoughtful lady, but she is smart as well. How can you not LOVE that!!

All is definitely well in the universe. MMMMMM

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2009-08-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that my husband has made a WONDERFUL yard and playground for us to enjoy and our grandchildren to explore whenever they come. You are an amazing man and we all appreciate you so much!! I'll let the pictures tell the story.....

Thank you grandpa. We love you. Keep the adventure coming.

Sunrise/Sunset

2009-08-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little girl at play?
I don't remember growing older
When did she?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did she grow to be so tall?
Wasn't it yesterday
When she was small?
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and joy.
What words of wisdom can I give her?
How can I help to ease her way?
Now she must learn for herself
Day by day
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and joy.
What a feeling of happiness to have gone through the Temple with all four of our children. I have a strong testimony that parenthood is like the Atonement. There is no way we can attain perfection on our own....We can only do our best and the Lord makes up for the balance and puts it all into place. I'm thankful to know that he listens always to a parent's heartfelt prayers in behalf of their children. I am grateful for the blessings of the Temple.

COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP

2009-08-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!!!

The Apprehension
The Lock Down
The Worry
The Helicopter
The Helicopter and it's Loudspeaker

I'm slow posting this great adventure but I thought for sure Dana and Maggie would beat me to it. When Dana and the kids were visiting the other week, we always joke with them about how they need to move away from the craziness of the Southern California region that they live in and return to peaceful, unadventuresome Northern California. Well no sooner had Adam left Dana and the kids to our trusty care, than chaos knocks on our door. I was out back with Dave when my CHP nephew drives into our driveway. David stops in occasionally on patrol so it wasn't anything really out of the ordinary ....other than he drove in a little faster than usual and comes back to us and says something along the lines of "You didn't happen to see a guy with a gun come by did you?" He then explained to us that parked at the back of our property was a guy who reportedly had a long barrel rifle and that several units were there trying to track him down and that they'd be surrounding the area and try to flush him and if we didn't mind if he left his unit parked at the house. Sounded like a good idea to me to discourage anyone with a gun, so I went into the house and locked all the doors as David retrieved his REALLY BIG gun from out of the unit. Me and Maggie and Dana and the kids then went up to the balcony in the mezzanine to watch it all unfold. My Dave in the meantime, bent on completing his orchard chores, continues to go out and spray weeds as if it's a normal day..AGHH!! In fact he's sitting there spraying weeds and he hears in the grass next to him David speak up, "At least it's a cool day out here"....Scared my Dave for a second cuz he didn't even know David was there he was hid so well. Looking out from the mezzanine, we would see I think about 9 CHP and Sheriff units surrounding the property with a lone truck parked in the back of the property line next to the canal. We felt all was safe until the CHP helicopter flies over and over their loudspeaker system we hear something like, "We see you, lie flat on the ground and get away from the gun!!!" That's when we go for our cameras cuz in this day and age, the girls think...this is the perfect blog. So we get shots of the helicopter and then shots of us panicking and are deciding that if Action News comes to interview us, we're picking Maggie to be our spokesman because she just had gotten her hair cut and eyebrows waxed that morning. Anyway to make a long story short, after about an hour on "Lock Down" the suspect was apprehended. It turns out he had gotten in a fight with someone at the cemetery down the road, got out a gun and then ran when someone called 9-1-1. He takes off down the road and when a CHP spots him he ditches into the north end of our property, drives to the back and holes up there. With the report of a long barrel rifle, the police call in all they got available. After getting him, they find out he only had a pellet gun and he tells them that we had hired him to do some weeding in the back so that was why he was there....silly silly man. Anyway, I guess we can't use the peaceful country living as a reason to persuade the kids to move back up to our area any more. P.S. I didn't post the picture Dana took of David coming to the door in his full gear with gun in tow when it was all done but it was pretty intimidating. Thanks David and all the rest of the crew for protecting us....I know we made light of it as we felt safe in our home high atop all the activities, but you were all really awesome.

The Top 25 Things We LOVE About a Fort Bragg Adventure

2009-08-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

THE TOP 25 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT A FORT BRAGG ADVENTURE....in no particular order.
1. Finding joy in everything.
2. Being eaten by a tree.
3. Seeing what adventure lies on the other side of the tunnel.
4. Playing tag in the sand.
5. Just relaxing.
6. Enjoying the beauty of the coast line.
7. Seeing every road as something out of a story book.
8. Relaxing on the beach with good family.
9. Finding the perfect Harry Potter outfit on a Mendicono shopping trip.
10. Enjoying a picnic stop in the woods.
11. Getting a piggy back ride on Grandma's back after a long hike.
12. Sharing a good story over lunch.
13. The Poole family.
14. Taking a nice stroll to the lighthouse.

15. Feeding the birds what's left of a beach adventure.
16. Holding onto Zach!!
17. Eating your ice cream cone sculpture. (See #24 below.)

18. Driving through the Drive-Through Tree on the way home.
19. Getting that perfect picture.20. Having a Grandpa pile!!
21. Contemplating what it's all really about with Grandpa?
22. Showing off perfect balance learned in ballet class.
23. Standing on the edge of the world.
24. Every good trip to Fort Bragg starts with a stop for ice cream in Lake County where this trip we perfected the art of ice cream cone sculpting.
25. Finding out combining a really good book and a long walk is possible.

ADDENDUM: One of the favorite things about this trip I couldn't get a picture of so I'm adding it pictureless.... At night around the campfire we would tell stories and sing songs and one night after finishing a resounding farm song led by Grandpa Thomasson, we asked Katelyn if there was a song she wanted to sing and she said her favorite was I Am A Child of God which she proceeded to sing and we all joined in. Well our camp site was close to the restrooms and as we were finishing with the chorus, a couple coming from the bathrooms to their campsite joined in. Don't ask me why, but that really touched me.

Seattle or Bust

2009-06-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: If you put the mouse on the picture when it gets full screen, you can see the captions for the pictures but it stops the slide show so you have to move the cursor til the next pictures comes up and then do it again. (I messed up on that last caption though and don't know how to edit it at this point...sorry... It's supposed to say "Good Night Seattle...we love you!!) You can speed up the slide show by hitting the little + on the bottom left of the screen. Also the "raindrops" special effects are supposed to give you the feel of Seattle...although when we were there, the weather was beautiful and clear. So enjoy our trip!!

I am derelict in getting our trip to Seattle posted and if I were really good, I would back post like Dana does but I don't know that technique so I just delinquent post instead. We had so much fun moving the kids to Seattle...as much fun as one can have traveling for two days straight, shopping til we dropped, unloading a UHaul litterally full to the door from midnight to three and almost crushing Ben at least once under a heavy load and then organizing and putting furniture together most nights til 1. a.m.....Sounds awful in print but we loved it cuz we were with our kids. And then we really actually got a few afternoons to explore the beautiful city of Seattle and some of the fine food. The Italian restaurant and the Deli were great. And be prepared when you go to Seattle to raise your arms high in the air and say WHEEEE really loud as you drive the city cuz every street in Seattle goes straight downhill and Ava and Elie love to do this. Ava wants to do it all the time but I told her...if you do it when there's no downhill, it isn't quite as fun....and she agreed. Elie goes more just AHHHH!!! And most of the residential streets are only wide enough for one car to pass at a time so it is challenging. But the views are amazing and the houses are just beautiful and all so unique. So there is a lot to see in Seattle and it seems to be all within a few minutes of their house. Next time we go I want to explore the zoo and the Aquarium which look awesome. I'm excited about this move. Thanks for getting this residency Ben. You are awesome...and so is your family.

How Inspired is That

2009-06-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Maggie received her mission call to the Texas Houston South Mission, Spanish speaking and reports to the MTC on September 2nd, 2009!!!! How amazing is that that she got her mission call to the area that Jana and Ben were in....now that Ben graduated from med school just last month and they're no longer there. The Gulf Coast of Texas just wants my girls. Well HOWDEEE and toss me my cowboy hat!!!

Let's think of something to do while we're waiting....

2009-06-25T12:31:00.001-07:00

With Maggie's Mission Call Letter coming one week before her return from her Study Abroad semester in Paris, I had to think of something to occupy myself and keep from ripping open her letter. So I decided to prove my strength to her by posting a picture on Facebook every day (to her delight) to prove it was still intact and unopened. I understand kidnappers post a picture daily of their hostages with the current newspaper headlines to prove their victim is still alive and with all ten fingers and toes still there, so I followed their lead.

One day I posted that I thought I could read the word Muckluks through the address window and posted a picture with my warm slippers.
On Sunday, we decided to use the Sunday funnies as our headline since the day's before headline was quite depressing. Then we decided to let Dave use his priesthood authority to gently toss the letter at our world map and see where inspiration landed it. It ended up between Iceland and Ireland....either one REALLY cold and Maggie hates the cold. Not a good sign.
As the days got closer, we decided to enlist the help of our trusty guard dog Wall-E....Actually we put in a stunt double for the letter cuz we weren't sure how trusty Wall-E would be but you can see he handled it with the greatest of respect.
Wall-E called in his trusty side kick, our cat Babe for support. They wholeheartedly took on the assignment and were willing to guard the letter with their life.
It may look like Wall-E is being derelict in his duty and sleeping, but he actually has one eye open, ready to pounce.
With the final day here and Maggie winging her way back home to us, we feel somewhat not unlike the doors outside Mervyn's on the day after Thanksgiving at 5 a.m. with the OPEN...OPEN...OPEN!!! beckoning us in anticipation.

Have I Seen His Hand in My Life Today

2009-06-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have seen the hand of God in my life often and I can not deny his guidance and love and intervention. I see it through my life, my husband's life and our relationship and I see it in my children's lives. It's every day and I'm grateful for that.

No Room in the Inn

2009-05-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

No Room in the Inn

This last Memorial Day Weekend when we went to Yorba Linda for Zach and Elie's birthdays, we had planned to take a leisurely trip up the coast either going down or on the way home, but things didn't look like we would be able to take our adventure afterall. Regardless my sweet husband kept it as his goal and even though we got a late start, when it came time for the two freeways to diverge, he took the one heading for the coast. We thought we had enough time to make it to the coast by nightfall and we'd just catch a hotel and then start up the coast the next morning. Little did we realize how bad things are on the coast on Memorial Day Weekend and when we started looking for a hotel the common sign was "No Vacancy" or "No Room in the Inn". When it was getting around 1 in the morning we saw one hotel from the road that didn't say "No Vacancy" so we took a sharp turn to the right to zip down the side street and in taking the curve a little wide, who should be coming the other direction but a policeman. Sure enough he turned around and pulls Dave over with the question on his lips, "Sir, is there a lawful reason why you swung into my lane back there?" to which Dave made a sarcastic enough reply that I thought for sure he was going to handcuff us and take us into the pokey....would that mean a bed to sleep on? So as I started rifling through the glove box for registration and proof of insurance, Dave explains our situation to which the nice policeman asssured us we did NOT want to get a room in the flea bag hotel we were aiming for. He even called his Sheriff to find out if he had heard of any lodgings still available that he might know of. To no avail, we were sent on our way further up the coast even looking for just a spot to pull off the road and sleep in the car. By 1:30 we were desparate and as we drove along, there was a side street to our left that looked like apartment buildings in the trees but what should catch my eye but a hotel sign. So we swung back around and sure enough it was a whole row of hotels with beautiful signs saying No Vacancy....No Vacancy....No Vacancy.....No Vacancy until what to our wondering eyes should appear but one sign saying an ever most welcome "VACANCY" sign.....Surely a mistake we decided but nonetheless we drove in anyway. Out Dave gets and returns several minutes later as I stay in the car praying...Oh please Heavenly Father, let there be a bed and let it be without fleas and let it be affordable. Dave gets in the car and says, guess how much??? $250 I said figuring an exageration....Very close was his reply....and that's with a 30% discount because it's after midnight. So we contemplate for a few minutes deciding if we want to pay more for a hotel than we ever have before for just a few hours sleep and decide....YES, YES WE DO!!!! So Dave goes back in and is in there for like ten minutes I guess signing his life away and comes back out with key in hand just as a guy drives up to the office and as we see him speaking to the manager, he drops his head and shakes it ever so pathetically and I told Dave, she must have told him what it costs and Dave says, no, she just told him we just got the last room. Then we see him drive off down the remainder of the row of hotels and back out to the road. Dave said we should've tracked him down and offered him our room for $500. But we retired without a second thought to our room with it's warm fireplace and hot jacuzzi tub and Wonderful bed and the sound of the ocean waves hitting the beach just outside our French doors and the quaint little patio. And in the morning we got up to THE most wonderful breakfast I think I have ever had and then took a nice little stroll down the path of the ocean. It was beautiful and PRICELESS!!! and we felt so rested. Next time we go through, we'll have to try out the spa and exercise room that we never even got to see and try the evening "dessert buffet" served at dusk. I think we'll pass on their wine tasting though. So if you're ever in Cambria, stay at the Moonstone or Pelican something I think it was. Then we traveled up the coast stopping often along the way to enjoy the wonderful ocean, took a little nap on a grassy knoll by the beach and saw several California Condors, one of which was perched in a tree and we saw it's little transmitter on his wing for tracking....he was Condor Number 8 by the way. I don't know what it is about the ocean but it always is so relaxing. And even for a busy Memorial Day Weekend, it was peaceful. Thank you Mr. Beasley for taken the low road this time.

Look What I Can Do

2009-05-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

Look What I Can Do!!!!

Some years ago we discovered a little cove south of Monterey that takes a small hike to get into but is really pretty and is littered with these rocks you see before you. People who discover it like to make stone monoliths and test their expertise in rock stacking. I just know some day thousands of years down the road, someone will discover this and wonder what it's all about....who built these monoliths, were they built to the Gods.....were aliens involved???? Well when we discovered it several years ago, Dave added his talents to it and on our recent trip up the Coast this weekend, he just had to stop by and try his talent again and it's nice to know after all these years, he hasn't lost his touch.

It all starts with a good
foundation and proper
placement and picking just the right rock for just the right companion rock.

Searching.......

Pondering......

Contemplating....

Head scratching....

Precision...it all comes

down to precision...

and Patience.

(And a wife who

enjoys watching her

man at work.)

Looks like perfection

to me.

EASY

NOW!!

Don't

BREATHE

TOO

HARD!!

Oh man......

the wind blew

it over.

Well time to

start again.

HEE HEE!!

Still crazy after

all those years....

you still got it in you dear.

Hearts and Fireworks

2009-05-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you put Katz in the Poole......Hearts and Fireworks

We Are a Happy Family

2009-05-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

We are a Happy Family:

With Jana and Ben and the girls moving to Seattle soon, it won't be much longer that we get to have all four of our grandchildren together so we REALLY enjoyed this time of gathering them all around us.....I think I can still feel them in my arms.

2009-05-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

Let's go fly a kite...up to the highest heights.....

I think Dave's the only person I know who can get a kite to fly while lying perfectly flat on the ground...must've been a windy day at the beach.

He had the kite tied to his belt to keep it from flying off.

Somehow in his slumber little Elie came along and managed to get the kite string holder off his belt loop and was holding onto it. Ava came along and said, Grandpa, Elie's flying the kite. It's a wonder our little penguin kite hadn't take flight.

2009-05-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIE AND ZACH!!!!

We just got back from the BEST weekend ever celebrating the birthdays of our two youngest grandbabies....although now that they are both one, we can't call them babies any more. They are Elie and Zach, our twin grandchildren born to two different mothers three days apart but whenever we get Jana and Ben's and Dana and Adam's families together, we get the feel of what twins must be like. To get all the pictures of the birthday itself, you'll need to go to Jana and Dana's blogs or to their Facebook cuz I was mainly behind the video camera for the picture taking time of the party and didn't get any pictures myself of those festivities, but believe me, it WAS FUN!! and I stole this picture from one of their shots.

It was a great weekend in honor of the Zach Man and Princess Elie Belly.

.

Then there were the shots that made us laugh when we saw them blown up on the computer.
Cast your vote for (1) Elie; (2) Zach; (3) Ava; or (4) Katelyn. You may have to click on them to blow them up to help see what made us laugh. Well more chapters of our weekend are to follow.

One WILD and CRAZY GUY!!

2009-05-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

We're just off of one wild and crazy visit from Ava and Elie cuz they're one WILD AND CRAZY GUY!!! We miss you girls. Ava, I think you left your VeggieTale CD...can I still listen to it in the car til you return?

I'm Hooked on Veggietales

2009-05-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

With Jana and Ben searching high and low in the greater Seattle area for a new home, we have the charge of their two sweet patooties and I am rapidly brought back in time to the age of young motherhood and am reminded of the great appreciation I have for Jana and Dana and the schedule they keep, the struggles of getting adult things done, and a new love and appreciation for VEGGIETALES!!! Nothing sounds sweeter than hearing Ava sing....Oh Where Is My Hairbrush.... as we drive down the road listening to the Veggietale CD. Excuse me now but I've got to go blow some bubbles. And for your viewing pleasure, I've attached a few of my favorite Veggietales for you.

Be careful a house doesn't drop on you

2009-04-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Today it is SO WINDY that as I took the garbage out, the can nearly went out of my hands...I probably would've been set to sail myself if I hadn't been weighted down holding onto the can. And on the way back I noticed the driveway was peppered with little bird eggs that had been blown out of their nests in the trees. Isn't that just the saddest.

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

2009-04-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

Each day should start with this thought in mind and I think we'd all do a better job of it.

A Night on the Town

2009-04-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

With a quick trip to see Dana in the great production of Savior of the World this weekend, we didn't have much time for but a few pictures but got Zach and Elie at the table at a restaurant. They were so cute when they snuck their hands close together like they were wanting to hold hands but as soon as I got the camera up, they pulled back quick.....I guess in anticipation of not wanting incriminating pictures in their Senior Yearbook.

Old Friends/New Friends

2009-03-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Old Friends/New Friends
I have had a very trusty old friend for many years now. It was a good friend. I could always rely on her and she never let me down. When others were treating their "friends" by dropping them in the river or leaving them at the movies, or even worse having "CRAZY ROSE" take possession of them, I kept my "friend" near and dear to me. Nothing worse than a dropped call now and then but never due to her own fault....it was the satellite who let us all down. I always knew when the barnyard sounds were going off, Jana or Ava were wanting to talk to me. When I heard that peppy music that I always let run until I could finish with a heartfelt "CHA!!!" that Maggie was on the other line. When I heard that "I really wanta dance" sound, I knew the Poole's were hunting me down and when I heard that old fashioned telephone ring, that a very "handsome man" was calling me. Poor Jonathan's ring was just same ol', same ol' cuz when he came back from his mission, I didn't know how to program a new ringtone onto my friend....but nonetheless, my friend always let me know who was wanting to get a hold of me by the special sounds she made. Well lo and behold, I let my friend down the other week and left her in my pants pocket after a hard day of working out in the orchard. Now I always pride myself as I do my laundry thinking...Oh I don't have to check my pants pockets because I never put anything in them. Well I learned a valuable lesson when I reached in to get my laundry out of the dryer and there lay my old friend at the door of the dryer looking ever so pathetically beat up, missing her little antennae stub and I could almost hear her say, "what did I do to deserve this?" I was heartbroken cuz I really thought she'd last forever. But I pulled up my bootstraps and went to the internet to track down a replacement phone thinking life would truly never be the same. After hours of searching and deciding and picking Maggie's brain, I came home from the AT&T store the following Monday with a new "friend".....and she's a BEAUUUTYYY she is. I don't do much with my phone other than make calls (how ingenious for a phone to do that) and take pictures of my grandbabies to look at, but this little friend has enough features to keep me happy and then some....some I'll probably never use, but if I ever want to truly go high tech, I'll be ready for it. Heck I even feel comfortable texting with this one and am driving Jana and Maggie crazy with that newfound knowledge and am even having fun sending Dave a little "sweet message" now and then that he so kindly says....Hmmm, think I'll save that one for a while. But I have the potential for music and GPS and internet and all other fun stuff if I ever want to....WHATTA friend!! The only thing that I'm not sold on yet are my new ring tones....I miss the old barnyard sounds and the "Cha" song and all the other ones that let me know who it was that was ringing me.....but I have found I can dance to Maggie's new tune (I will contain myself if I am in public when you call me Maggie) and I guess they'll all grow on me eventually like a good friend does. So kids, call me often so I can get used to your new ringtones and know who it is calling me....I'll have a quiz to take at the end of the month.

There are Angels Among Us

2009-03-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

The older I get and the more my children grow into
adulthood, the more my testimony is strengthened that
there are most definitely angels among us. As we raise our
children and go through the struggles we face as parents,
there is no training manual to make those steps any easier,
and we in our imperfections make mistakes that we wonder
will ever be fixed; but if we just do our best, the Lord does
listen to the heartfelt prayers of mothers and fathers who
plead for help to make up for what they lack...and the Lord
does just that. There is nothing more important than the family
and he wants it to succeed even more than we do...so we
do our best and he makes up for the rest and we wait for all
to land on solid ground. As a mom now, I love it when I hear
the resounding sound of their footsteps landing solidly. We
hear it in our grandchildren's excited tales of their family
adventures and in the wonderful blogs their mothers post
of those adventures, we hear it knowing our children are all
where we know they're supposed to be at this time in their
life even though they're all out of arms reach, we hear it
when we are asked if we can support a decision they've
made when the only answer is "of course we can; you're
doing what the Lord would want you to do" and we hear it
when we hear our daughter bear her testimony to us
relating the feelings of her heart as she's performing as an
angel in "Savior of the World". Some parents may be able
to take the credit for such success, but for us, I' d have to
say I know there are angels among us...if we could only
see and hear.

These Are a Few of My FAVORITE Things

2009-02-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

These Are a Few of My FAVORITE Things~~~~~

Ava and Katelyn and Elie and Zach, Jana and Dana and Maggie and Jon, Adam and Ben and then most of all Dave......These are a few of my favorite things!!!
When the car quits, when a dish breaks, when my computer dies (eeee gad!!!).....I simply remember my FAVORITE things and then I don't feeeeeeel so bad.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!

Picasa Web Albums - Joann Hey I finally figured out out to put the slide show on, but you can access it here too.

Reflections of Christ

2009-02-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

I had trouble getting this video to post but if you click on the small picture, it should come up. If that fails, go to You Tube and go to Reflections of Christ to view it. It's one of my favorite hymns and the arrangement is beautiful and when you add the pictures to it, it is inspired. The only thing that could be better is if Jonathan was at the piano singing it to me with the Savior at his side.

Your Dad is not Liam Neeson

2009-02-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

Your Dad IS NOT Liam Neeson~~ We have a certain unnamed daughter who is planning a wonderful trip abroad in the very near future to participate in the Study Abroad program. This really is a kick-in-the-pants exciting adventure I would've loved to have taken myself but yesterday for Valentine's Day we went to the show and saw "Taken" and we now as parents have a totally different perspective on this whole situation. Even though this daughter is of an adult age and CAN and DOES make these decisions for herself often (and does a wonderful job of it), we as CONSCIENTIOUS parents are obligated to set down some ground rules as we can't stress enough that your dad is NOT Liam Neeson....he is, as you hopefully remember, just Popsicle. So the 10 rules (strong suggestions) we want you to comply to are:
1. Watch "Taken" at least ten times minimum before leaving.
2. Dress like a bag lady for the plane flight. Katelyn's one-lens sunglasses ensemble from her Glam Girl photo op is a good starting point and would be highly recommended. The stance, the pose, the smile, the glasses...the whole package are perfect. Maybe you can borrow it.

3. Wear Black Jack gum on your front teeth in the airport terminal and leave it in place until you get safely tucked into your point of destination.
4. Learn the phrase in the native language, "I'm having trouble controlling my bowels---where is the closest bathroom?" so if you see someone approach you that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can throw them off guard by this statement.
5. Call your parents every half an hour.....YES for the entire time you are gone.
6. Carry lots of pepper spray and be willing to use it generously.
7. Instead of your favorite perfume, we are supplying you with our own "What Wally Just Rolled In" musk for you to wear.
8. Assure us that you are really studying abroad and not just following the U2 European Tour through their every destination.
9. Brush up on your repertoire of your best dialogues from either Forrest Gump or I Am Sam if you really must carry on a conversation with anyone....no matter how cute they are.
10. Pray often....and did I mention use pepper spray generously.

And just to set the record straight, these rules also apply to our married daughters as well and not just our single daughter as not only is their Dad not Liam Neeson but I don't think they married Liam either.

Momma's got a new pair of shoes

2009-02-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Momma's got a new pair of shoes~~~~~~~

This is just a short post for my girls. When I went to the bank this morning, the Payless Shoe Store was just taunting me with their Buy One Get One Half sale so even knowing my girls would think the less of me, I still entered the store with the thought in mind that I'd like to class up my feet some new shoes (as best as Payless Shoes can do) and was dedazzled by the selection and comfy fit and WONDERFUL price. I couldn't put them down....Katelyn and Ava would've liked to have been there too I'm sure. I walked away with this assortment...the front row is flats, the back row has two wedgies and then the odd man out back there is THE most comfy flat that are of a quilted material that just wraps around your foot like a blanket...your feet go AHHHH when you step into them. Now they were inexpensive....averaging $15 a pair so I probably supported a child sweat shop in buying them, and they may fall off my feet mid-step at Church some Sunday, but today they do look cute and feel good on my feet....and I left a happy shopper.

I've Got the Power

2009-02-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

I've got the Power....or at least it feels like we could anyway. When I came home from Chico last Friday there was a msg on the phone machine from somebody I didn't even know asking us to call him back because he wanted to buy our irrigation water this year and I wondered how he had our name to call us and how he knew we were in the irrigation district. Then I got a call later that afternoon from King Wilson from our ward asking the same thing...but he just asked if we weren't going to use our water this year if we would sell it to him and as I got to talking to him and brought up this other phone call I got, he said that with the water in such demand this year with the drought, our name was posted at the Irrigation District office as someone who hadn't used the water in the past couple of years and that most of those posted only had 1 or 2 acres but with us with 25 acres, we would be a real target as it was such a large quantity. I knew things were bad, but not that bad. In fact the lady at the Irrigation District said that there only may be water until June if things don't improve soon whereas the water usually flows until October. We were thinking about using some of the irrigation water this year to give the trees a few good soakings on top of the drip so we're not sure about selling it off...or at least all of it off at this point, but it makes it really scary for these farmers who are depending soley on the irrigation and what they'll do in those last months of summer when it gets really hot. I mean, here it is February, and we're already starting to drip our trees cuz it's been so dry, what will July be like. Dave and I tossed out the thought of putting our water up on Ebay but I think that's what they call unrighteous dominion....but I do feel like we could end up being the most popular people in Glenn County before this summer's over; everybody will want us for their friend.

But it is a sad thing to think of how this effects farm production and the farmers. And you can't help but wonder about the correlation of the drought tying in with the ramifications of moral social decline of our time, people insisting that same-sex marriage is to be approved and government corruption being a free for all. As we fasted for rain this Fast Sunday, it just seemed that instead of just praying for rain, we had to include in our prayers that people would be more faithful in following the commandments and be touched by the spirit to live better lives so that we can be worthy to receive the blessings of the rain. I guess in essence you can't stop the train of the Second Coming from happening and we just have to accept the trials that are going to come along as that time gets closer. I guess I just want the Second Coming to happen without the trials. This kinds of gives new meaning to the old Credance Clearwater song, Who'll Stop the Rain?----the corrupt, the activtists, the deceived, many government leaders.

So how much would you offer me for my 25 acres' worth of water?

I like where I live

2009-01-25T22:30:00.000-08:00

I spent the better part of an hour just finding the right picture for our blog title. I still don't know if this is just the "right picture" but after looking through a ton of pictures we have on file on our computer, I realized once again that my husband picked a beautiful 25 acres to build our homestead on. There's just really a peace here that I wouldn't trade for anything. Our kids keep wanting us to pull up our roots and move to the freeways and congestion of the big city, or question why we ever chose this area to raise them, but we totally enjoy this peace and quietude. Even our animals seem content being here....along with the herds of deer that use our orchard as their thoroughfare and all the other varmints and coyotes I've mentioned before, that leave their tracks all over the orchard. We like having this place for our grandkids to come enjoy...especially Grandpa's playground in the backyard, the Beasley Frisbee golf course, and a dug out pit for Jonathan to drive trucks crazy in. Then of course where else could we have the 50+ Studebakers and every kind of fruit tree imaginable that mainly goes to supplying our friends cuz we can't eat it all. It's a beautiful piece of Heaven I feel we have here and I'm so grateful for it.

2009-01-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my morning....welcome to my day. I'm the one responsible.... I made it just this way.

The opening remarks of my first blog. My kids always inspire to me to try new and exciting adventures in my life and since my girls have become awesome bloggers, they've got me to give this a try. I guess that makes it sound like I have a really dull life if my biggest adventure is to start a blog....my life is my family and that's a pretty big adventure to keep up with though....especially with all my kids and their families do. When they were growing up, we led them along on adventures and now they're the ones we are tethered to that take us to exciting places.

I know pictures say a thousand words but I have to closely monitor what pictures I will post as my girls especially are very critical of what is put up on the internet for all to see....I get caught up in the excitement of what was happening in the picture and memory it evokes and fail to see that piece of spinach in their front teeth, or that it's a bad hair day, or that smirk was really outrageous. So pictures will be slow in coming and well thought out....so with that disclaimer stated....I will closely scrutinize a family picture to post. And with that in mind, I post our first pictures of our family that I think my girls will approve of.......

Let me introduce to you our four legged family members......First is Wally....or Barkley.....or Smudly.....or whatever other "eee" ending name you can think of. We just got Wally a few weeks ago from the pound in Red Bluff. Thank you Maggie for helping us to find him. He was left by some homeless people who just dropped him off and didn't even tell them his name......we just know he comes to any name ending with the "eee" sound. He's a real sweetheart and is a great addition to the family so far with his one blue eye and one brown eye. We think if we still had Anna and Tank, they'd give him a full thumb's up (or paws up) cuz he has a lot of the same easy going loving character they had. As you can see by Anna and Tank here though, it takes quite a stretch to be as good and faithful as they were.

Then there's our cat Babe. We've had Babe now for probably 10 years as best our memory is. Every animal we've had has bowed down to Babe....she's the Queen of Beasley Farms. Even the coyotes that cross our acreage daily don't mess with Babe. She's our only cat who has survived the frequent "picking off" of the coyotes. In fact I'm not even going to mention Tevia, our other cat, because I have not seen him for a few days now and could very well himself be the demise of a coyote. You can see by this picture the love and pampering our Babe gets and very well deserves.

So that's the start of our blog. Very low key of which I hope my girls approve. This has been fun but I've gotta get to work....as ususal.

2009-01-14T13:13:00.000-08:00