More Summer....

My children will be proud - I'm actually updating the blog on time this week. One of the few things I have accomplished this week.

When I returned from Minnesota I brought a dozy of a head cold home with me. I spent the rest of the week tired and groggy thanks to drugs.

Despite the head cold I was able to finish Eclipse so I can now start Breaking Dawn since Tessa has finished (Cali is almost) done. I also finished the top of a quilt I had started two years ago - yeah! Unfortunately I forgot to buy backing fabric for it so now I am on a fabric hunt to find something that will work.

Aunt Pam from Canada spent the week with us (she left today and has made it safely to the border with no vehicle problems!) It was fun to visit with her.

Clark and I took her to Pittock Mansion and for a view of Portland. Unfortunately it was a bit hazy so you weren't able to see most of the mountains My folks took her to Multnomah Falls














Clark also went on a river boat ride with her up and down the Willamette which they both enjoyed and then dinner at Kentucky Fried Chicken (Pam's request). Pam treated all of us to Chinese food Saturday night - thank you Pam!

I had fun going through the old photos of her parents, my grandparents, and I have started a digital album of them. Now I just need my dad and Pam to help me with the journaling part.

Tessa enjoyed her first real "free" week of summer - no dance, no camp etc. She and Hannah went down to Roseburg to the Douglas County Fair. They saw Kelly Pickler (American Idol contestant) in concert and they all wore their red high heels to the concert (she sings a song called "My Red High Heels)

There was a lot of reading going on at our house in between things as both girls raced to finish Breaking Dawn - Tessa wins!


Both girls enjoyed going to see the Premiere of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Part Two - this week, in fact Cali saw it twice.



We are also enjoying the beginning of the Olympics. Cali celebrated with a party here at the house with some of her friends Friday night for the Opening Ceremonies. She had food from all different countries and we even made little flags from each of the countries to decorate the table - Mini tacos from Mexico, Pot stickers for China, Mini Quiche from France, chocolate chip cookies from the US, pizza from Italy and some spinach filled thing from Greece!

Jim and I went to a BBQ at some friends that evening where we watched the opening ceremonies.

We also spent a bit of time this week getting Cali ready for school - she was excited when her new computer arrived in the mail! It's amazing how much stuff she and Tessa share (flat iron, curling iron, blow dryer, make up brushes, etc.) that we now need to purchase for Cali!

After a trip to the Farmer's Market on Saturday we came home and Jim and Clark played Paul Bunyan. One of our large trees in the back corner was leaning dangerously close to the wall so it needed to come down.

Clark got the job of cutting down the tree while Jim supervised

Cali got to stand on the other side of the wall to prevent any innocent passerbyers from being hit by a falling tree!

Jim carefully covered the wall with blankets and boards to hopefully prevent the tree from knocking over the wall if it fell on it.

My job was to stay out of the way and take pictures!

After cutting most of the way through Clark wrapped a rope around the tree and PULLED! TIMBER!!

Logan spent a lot of time working this week as Becca was out of town for several days down in LA auditioning for the LA Wicked. She is back now and they are in Bountiful for the weekend. Becca's brother who lives in China and her brother who lives in England are in town so Logan is meeting the rest of the family!

Better Late than Never

I am now being chastised by my children for being late in getting the family blog updated the last few weeks.

Yesterday I returned from 4 days in Minneapolis for Creative Memories National Convention. I came home with a massive headache and a sore throat so I guess they are just going to have to cut me some slack. After 3 Advil, 2 Excedrin and 3 Extra Strength Tylenol (not all at the same time) my head still hurts!

I thought my head was going to explode on the plane ride. I had hoped to finish reading Eclipse so I could start Breaking Dawn (the vampire series of books) when I got home but no reading happened on the plane thanks to my exploding head!

So to bring you up to date on the Wilkes -

Wednesday last week Aunt Pam arrived from Vancouver, British Columbia in her cute little camper that is parked in our drive way. Unfortunately she broke down in Vancouver Washington and had to be towed into Portland. Our mechanic was able to help her out and get it fixed for her right away though. Hopefully the trip home will be less eventful.

It has been fun to have her visit.

I left for Minneapolis on Thursday and had a great time - not much sleep though. That's probably why I'm not feeling very well now. I was able to stay with my good friend Deb from Michigan. We had fun getting dressed up for the Leadership Banquet which was a Sock Hop. We wore our Pink Lady bowling shirts and ratted our hair!

Everyone survived at home without me.

The girls went to the party at Barnes and Noble Friday night for the new book Breaking Dawn and are having a race to see who finishes first!

Tessa finished up her ballet intensive with a performance on Saturday that I had to miss - everyone else went and Jim reported it was great! She is enjoying sleeping in this week!

Logan and Becca drove up to Idaho Falls for the weekend. Becca had a friend getting married in Rexburg. They stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Wilkes and had a great time. They spent some time in the garden with grandpa picking raspberries, went to Reed's Dairy for ice cream and went to see the remodeled visitor's center at the Temple.

Back Home Again

The Jim Wilkes family is back underneath one roof again -at least 5 out of 6 of us.

Sorry there was no update last week but Jim, Tessa and I were all out of town. Jim spent 5 days in Mobile, Alabama for some work meetings (that is where Daily Access headquarters is).

Leigh Anne was in hot - why does anyone live there?- Phoenix for 4 days. I spent three days working and staying inside as much as possible. It was fun to spend a few hours with Tamara and go out to dinner with her. I spent the rest of the time working and eating and then eating some more. Enjoyed some good Mexican food and fortunately all the restaurants are air conditioned!

Tessa was in Salt Lake/Provo enjoying her birthday present. Tickets to the John Mayer concert. Logan picked her up and she stayed with him at Wynn and Emily's where she was spoiled rotten! She loved spending time with Jacqui, Addie and Ward - wishing she had a younger sibling.

She was treated to a pedicure and a scalp massage (thank you Emily), went shopping, out to eat, to the movies and of course to the main event - the concert. Thanks to Logan and Becca too for taking such good care of her.

She enjoyed her shopping expedition with Eryn, Cecelia and Becca and came home with some unbelievably high red high heels - that make her as tall as Jim!! Thanks to Grandma Wilkes for providing the birthday money that paid for them!

Cali and Clark held down the fort while we were gone, both spending most of their time working. We are all still trying to adjust to Clark's 4 a.m. work schedule and his getting up at 3:00 a.m. I am way too light of a sleeper and I hear just about every movement he makes!

This week was party week - I didn't have to cook Thursday, Friday or Saturday as we had two wedding receptions and a missionary farewell where we were fed -no one was having a party today so I cooked.

Jim and I had gone to the Farmer's Market on Saturday so had lots of fresh produce to cook with - corn, artichoke, onions, peppers, marionberries, squash, etc. I'll have some fun new recipes to post on the other blog this week with all of our farmer's market produce.

Cali and I had a mother/daughter date with our neighbor Debbie and her daughter Hannah. We went to see Mama Mia (Tessa had seen it in Utah). It was sappy and silly but I loved it!!! I have seen the Broadway production twice and loved it then too. I tried to stand up and dance in the theater but the girls wouldn't let me so I ended up just singing along to the songs.

Clark attended a dance for a Regional Young Adults Conference Saturday night and then went to the Sunday meetings today. The last Young Adult activity he went too was rated as "A waste of hair gel". I don't think these were much better!

Logan stayed busy in Provo working. He started a new internship this week - he is working the BYU Performing Arts Department and doing all the PR work for the different performing groups - mainly the Young Ambassadors. He is working on planning their ten day tour right now. This should be a fun internship for him as he would eventually like to work with PR in the Entertainment industry. Becca was in New York with her family this weekend so he was lonely.