Achtung Baby!

TEN HUT! DROP AND GIVE ME 50 SOLDIER!
Rory is going into the Army- can you believe it? We just dropped him off at the new recruit collection zone in Salt Lake City. (There were quite a few others there... oh my goodness- they are just kids!) He has been preparing for this for several months and has been living here at home for the last month to get a little more family time. We tried to talk him into going in as an officer, since he has a degree and all, but he wanted to do the work and then after (active duty? don't know) be an officer. He thought that knowing what is expected of him first would help him be a better officer in the future. He will be going to Missouri for basic training, then to Fort Huachuca in AZ, probably around December. He is signed up for 3 years of active duty and I think another 8? (good gravy!) of reserves.


It's hair cut time! Better get used to those nubs, soldier.







With Rory @ the drop-of zone in SLC.






That's one nubby noggin, dude!







Here he is swearing in... @#$%^&*!






Rory with his new employer's flag in the background







Good luck, Private Specialist Zaugg "...and you- SEMPER FI!" No, that's not right, that's the Marines. "...and you- BE ALL YOU CAN BE!" We know he will be. We hope this will be a great experience for him and help him move on in life. Any chance that the Army will do a 3-fer for us? Just kidding!



Our prayers go out to him and all those that serve our great country... it really hits home when you've got one of your own out there. Rock on soldier!

Wee Baby Rucker

Wee Baby Rucker was FINALLY born today! 8lbs 1oz and 20 inches, lots of hair and strong lungs.


Here she is! Isla Rucker (pronounced Eye La). After many long months of waiting (I think about 9), she finally made it! It had been quite a long week before her birth, as Madison and Jake had gone to the hospital a couple times, only to be send home empty handed.... so to speak. I guess she just wanted to wait until GmaZ arrived down there to be on hand for her grand entrance into the world.



You see, Brenda was ready to leave at a moment's notice, driving to AZ. So when she got the call yesterday that Madison and Jake were heading to the hospital, she took off like a bat out of el infierno. Then, later that day they called and said they were sent home for lack of progress- again! Brenda, by this time, was in Las Vegas. But, she kept on going anyway. Neither sleet nor rain (or lack of progress), shall stay the determined grandma from her quest. She arrived, to see a very frustrated mother and father-to-be.



But, early in the AM the next day, about 1:30 if my eyes were working correctly, I started getting texts that they were on the way to the hospital... again. So, for the next couple hours and texts, there was little sleep- but that was OK, cause this time, they weren't coming home empty handed!



So, after about 12 hours to good labor (?),... welcome to the world, little Isla... our leetle island of peace, love and joy amidst this stormy sea of chaos. We love you!

GpaZ

Awe.... Skool Daize

Hay Maw, lukes lieek summur vakacion wus two logn dis yeer- thyme too git thu yunguns bak en skool.


It was probably vandals or kids running amok ("amok amok amok")... I can't believe the hooligans we have here in West Point! What is this world coming to? ;)


I've always said it and I'll say it again, about school being back in session... everybody, sing it with me..."It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!"

The Princess in the Peas

It's been a few weeks ago, but on one of those Emery weekends, we had so much fun with her in the garden and she was having the time of her life. I thought, "you know, the peas are coming on... maybe I'll introduce her to the pea patch". After that, I couldn't get her out of the garden! She loved the peas and kept going back for more.



Gpa Great was also watering the garden. She would walk up and down the rows in the furrows talking and singing to herself, and just squishing the mud between her fingers and toes. (The next day after it dried, you could see her little feet prints all over the place- ooooooh!)



The corn was just about as "High as an elephant's eye...", no it wasn't, sorry Oklahoma fans, but it was just about as tall as she is, and she would walk up and down the rows with her arms stretched out wide, singing "La la la, la la la...." It was so dang cute. On the video below, if you turn up the sound enough, you might be able to hear her.



As I was helping Gpa Great water and hoe the garden, I hear behind me "It's delicious!" I turn around and she is licking the mud off of her fingers. "It's delicious!" I hear again- what a sweet pea!



Tell me again why they have to grow up??????

The Dames!

It was Mom's birthday this past week- 92 years young! And it was so cool because all the girls came and stayed a few days to celebrate with her. It was nice seeing them all together at one time... I think it has been a little while since that has happened.



Oh, to be a fly on the wall at their pajama party- they probably sat around and talked about boys all night long... well, at least until about 8:30pm anyway ;)

Another Wee Lass!

I know I am late announcing this... (I'm slow, but at least I'm slow), Madison and Jake are having a baby, due in September! We are all so excited, and can't wait. It is quite hard being so far away from them- seems like we'll miss out on so much. Brenda was mentioning that fact the other day, I told her that we did the same thing to our parents... that's the circle of life, or the color of the wind, or, something like that. Madison is about 1/2 way I guess, went to the doc the other day and had an ultrasound done. Here is one of the pics.



Isn't it amazing the technology today? Such detail! I think the ultrasound of our first child was an anatomically correct stick figure of our son, drawn by our doctor. Anyway, she's so cute, you can tell, even if there isn't much light in there. So, wee baby granddaughter numero dos is on the way! The whole family has had fun texting name ideas back and forth. Here are some of the favorites:

Thelma Lou
Bertha
Vernice
Ethyl
Agnes

JK! I don't know why, but Madison nor Jake like any of those! How 'bout- Esperanzaaaaaaaa ;) ;)

Lacrosse- Just Re-Lax

Riiiiiight. It has been so fun watching Carson get into this sport. Although the season is just about over, we're glad in a way because it has taken so much time, but in a way wish that it could go on. It's been a crazy spring, there has only been about 2 or 3 games that have really been enjoyable to watch- weather-wise that is. It's been colder than a well digger's butt (as a good friend of mine says), we've had to be bundled up most of the time. This past weekend, Carson's team went up to a tournament in Well it's a, 8:00 in Pocatello, Idaho...... well, not quite Boise, but anyway. And wouldn't you know it, the temp was to be int the 70s here in UT and we have to go north and endure more cold, wind and rain. And what happens when the games are over and we are coming home? That's right, the sun comes out and it's nice... oh well.





They had 2 games on Friday evening when we arrived, then 4 games on Saturday. They did very well: won 4, tied 1, and lost 1. It has been great to see the improvement of the players through the season as they've learned to play as a team. They've done well for it being their first year.







WELL DONE CARSON!!