Galler Family Reunion

This last week all four of my girls along with their families were home for a family vacation. We had a marvelous time doing tons of different activities. We enjoyed swimming at Natalie and Thomas' apartment complex as well as swimming at Desert Shores Lagoon and Desert Breeze Aquatic Center. We went to several different parks in the evenings for the children to play and run off some of their energy. We had a tea party, a Baby Jace Celebration, and a luau. Sunday we attended Sacrament Meeting together and Baby Ashton was blessed. The girls went shopping, got a pedicure, and all went bowling, and out for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Cafe Rio. We played Wii for hours and hours and enjoyed playing with clay and coloring pretty pictures at home. It was a fabulous time, and I hope everyone went home with happy hearts and good memories to cherish.

Having Fun With the Ellsworths

After five weeks of vacationing we finally are back home. Although all the trips were fabulous it was nice to sleep in our own bed, drive our own car, and settle back into our normal routine which included spending time with Natalie, Thomas, Cali and Ashton. One of the first things we did when we got home was spend an afternoon over at Ellsworth's apartment complex enjoying their swimming pool. Cali turned three on July 20th, so we had a "Tinkerbell" party for her at our house. We had dinner, played games, opened presents, and had a yummy ice cream cake that Natalie made. All in all, I would say it was one fantastic birthday party!!!!

Hawaii 2009

Aloha from the North Shore on Oahu, Hawaii,

We are having a wonderful vacation here enjoying mostly what we've enjoyed in past vacations in Hawaii. Things seem familiar and as I remembered except the temple is closed for remodeling until late 2010 and Turtle Bay Resort has torn down their gorgeous one-mile entranceway as part of a road-widening project. Besides the usual visits to Waimea Falls, the Dole Plantation, BYU-H, the swap meet, the ocean for countless snorkeling trips and water fun, trips to various sites to view unbeatable sunsets, stops at roadside stands to purchase delicious fruit, we hiked this year for the first time to the top of Diamond Head. It always has looked so formidable on the coast in Honolulu. However, this time we took the challenge sparked by Sheldon and made our way to the top. What a view it was and how happy I felt when I actually reached the rim!

Back to Oregon to See Baby Jace

I couldn't stay away from Oregon. After being in Cabo, Mexico for a week I headed back while Steve flew off to Hawaii to spend the week with his sister. My turn in Hawaii will come next week.

I had a great time with Julie, Sheldon & Jace. Besides caring for a newborn, we managed to go to the Rose Garden in Portland. The gardens were amazing. They were actually blooming. All of the other times I've been there it's been too early or too late to see all the beautiful roses.

Jace had his first official "real" bath in the kitchen sink while I was visiting, and he had his first official photo session at a nearby park. I tended Jace a few times while Julie went to camp one day with the Young Women and when Julie and Sheldon went to the Portland temple one early Saturday morning. Besides that I was able to help Julie with some early morning feedings. What great fun to spend so much time with my newest grandson.

Sheldon sees patients every Thursday in the clinic at Pacific University, so I saw him wear his white coat that makes him look very "doctor" like. I thought it would be a fun memory to take a picture of him in his white coat holding Jace. It seemed like it would help me remember in the future when Jace came to Julie and Sheldon in relationship to Sheldon's schooling.

We also went on a nice evening walk a few blocks from Julie and Sheldon's house to a place called The Wetlands. It consists of seven or so ponds. We walked around one of them which was probably a good mile in distance.

It was a great six days. I'll forever remember how cute little Jace was when he looked at his new rain forest toy and discovered his mobile in his new crib. Definitely moments worth remembering!

Vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Becky and Craig invited Steve and me to go on a one-week vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Although we said yes months ago and had booked our reservations, it seemed like it was not going to work out with my mom's serious health problems, Julie and Sheldon's new little son's birth, and the swine flu circulating through Mexico. However, we must be living under a lucky star because everything lined up. We were able to proceed through Mom's funeral, make a quick trip to Oregon to see our newest grandson, and be on the plane from LAX bound for Cabo as planned.

What a trip we had! It was absolutely fantastic. Thanks Becky and Craig for the invitation and showing us the ropes in a new vacation spot for us. We thoroughly enjoyed everything we did. Steve and I came home weather-beaten and tired, but we had smiles on our faces. It was a great way to start the summer and relax after a very tiring and emotionally draining school year.

We enjoyed sailing on a New Zealand boat made for the American Cup in 1995. We raced against another sailboat also made for the American Cup. It was from Australia. We lost one race and won a race. We also went on a snorkeling excursion one afternoon and a dinner cruise the night before we headed for home. One day Steve and Craig fished for eight hours while Becky and I went out to lunch and shopped at a nearby mall near the marina. Steve got motion sickness because the ocean was really rough that day; but in spite of those problems, the guys caught three large tunas which we ate for dinner on two separate occasions at two restaurants. The restaurants in Cabo are agreeable to cooking fish brought in by their customers. It would have been impossible for us to eat all of the fish, so Steve and Craig even gave some of their catch to the captain as a way of saying thank you for his services.

We shopped, ate, drank fancy drinks, swam, slept extra long hours, walked, and played in the warm ocean and pool water. The resort had a five-star rating, so we had the best service imaginable. Wow, what's next????

Our Newest Grandson, Jace

A miracle happened this last weekend. Jace Sheldon Olsen was born on Friday, June 5th, in the evening in Salem, Oregon. Steve and I, being the proud grandparents that we are, flew into Portland the next morning. While we waited for Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. to roll around we occupied our time by wandering through acres of land and up and down what seemed to be an endless creek near the hospital. We also went on a five-mile hike by seven beautiful waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park. We further wandered around the capitol grounds in Salem never keeping far from our thoughts the real reason why we were in Salem. That reason being to pick up Jace from the hospital and bring him back to Forest Grove, Oregon where Julie and Sheldon's little miracle would live. It was the sweetest of moments and one that we will cherish in our hearts forever. We are so grateful that Julie and Sheldon let us be part of this special, sacred experience.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were full of loves and hugs and pictures galore as you can see from above. We love Little Jace, and he has found a place in our hearts already. We know he has fabulous parents, and we can't wait to watch him grow as he flourishes under the watchful, loving care of Julie and Sheldon.