All Aboard The Hughes Cruise

Happy Birthday to my Mom, the Night Owl

2012-01-22T17:27:00.000-08:00

The cake I made for mom on her birthday. She liked it. Even Andrew was impressed.

Happy Birthday Andrew!!

2011-06-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

To the new graduate: Happy Birthday!

The Big Pour- A New Driveway

2011-06-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

After months of scheming, it is finally here. We were so blessed with tons of help. We even had some neighbors come over and help out, just to be nice- it was amazing. It was a big project; the cement truck had to bring 3 full loads and another half load just to finish the job.

We love it! A HUGE thank you to all who had a hand in this!!

Visitors from the South

2011-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Andrew's sister, Amanda came to visit- and did we ever have some fun! Amanda does flower parties, so naturally we did a few while she was here.

A few of our "creations."

One of our sweet sugar cookies.

It was great to see her and Zach and spend some quality time together!

Handy Andy Strikes Again

2011-03-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

I did not get the "before" picture, but believe me- this is an upgrade. We had one board that went across the entire closet space. It was probably 3 feet deep and impossible to reach things in the back. Not to mention it wasn't very aesthetically pleasing. I love our new cabinets- thank you, Mr. Hughes.

Andrew enjoying a well-earned break.

The Best!

2011-02-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Andrew graduated from Grand Canyon University!!! He is done and we are super excited. I asked to get a picture of him (looking all smart), but he's camera shy. We took my parents to La Crosse, had a wonderful meal at Outback, and did some sight-seeing. The rock formations are beautiful. This time of the year, aqua blue ice can be seen hanging from the rock. It's quite stunning. Sorry about the non-quality pictures. I'm actually quite proud of them. I took them from the back seat of a moving vehicle. A for Effort.

So Stinkin' Cute

2011-02-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

They are all here! Almost. It's a work in progress.

Happy Birthday Mom

2011-02-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

To my mom, who is forever correcting our mistakes and willing to lend a helping hand, Happy Birthday. You're the best, now eat some cake... a lot of cake.

Not Halloween!

2011-02-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

It has been way too long since I last posted. I suppose this has something to do with the rapid pace of life. The weeks seem to simply fly by.

Andrew and I are both doing well. We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving meal at my Aunt Sallee's. Andrew and my dad went deer hunting and my dad tagged a trophy buck. Apparently this deer was well known in the surrounding area as "The Goat Buck." My dad is particularly fond of the name and was answering to "Goat Buck Daddy" for a brief period of time. This deer was (no joke) 175 lbs field dressed.
I get hungry just thinking about it. Andrew was not as lucky and failed to see even so much as a squirrel in the woods. He did, however, manage to stay warm which is no small feat in the northwoods.

Before we were able to escape to the south, Wisconsin was hit by a bit of a snow storm, dropping around 20" on us. Luckily this all happened on a weekend. Unluckily, it was the weekend we had a Ferge get-together planned. We rescheduled. Church was cancelled. Snow plows were told to stay off the streets for their safety- you get the idea.

Christmas was spent in AZ this year. Through almost 3 weeks, we were able to see all of Andrew's immediate family. It was really nice. We headed to our local church more than once to allow everyone some extra space. We were even present to meet the newest Hughes- Carter, born on December 27th. How great! We were so grateful to be welcomed in so many places, some of them more than once- thanks a million!

Happy Halloween

2010-11-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

Abby, the chicken. How fitting! All weekend in Manitowoc it was "I scared" and It's scary." This costume was so cute!

Kid Pics

2010-10-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

I can hear you now, "Rachel, I love those pictures! They're so great, but don't you have, say, twice as many nieces and nephews?"
I DO. They don't have any representation because their PARENTS are hogging all their pictures. This bulletin board is in my office at work. I love to see all the kiddos every day!

Fall in Wisconsin

2010-10-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

It was another beautiful fall day here in Wisconsin. It made me think of a quote I recently came across;
"Hardwood forests ablaze with color, geese on the wing, caramel apples from a roadside stand, barns bursting with the harvest, and everywhere everyone packing some extra fun into the last warm days of the year – that’s fall in Wisconsin."
I'm so glad to be living here. I absoutely love my morning drive to work, filled with fall colors. What an awesome time of year!

Trip to Tomahawk

2010-09-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, my aunt and uncle hosted a family get-together at their home in Tomahawk. They live on the Wisconsin River. It was great to see everyone. We enjoyed the (cooler) weather. These are pictures of my parents on the dock.

Fun Fact: A few years ago, Andrew hit a golf ball across the river at this very point.

Our Flowers

2010-07-14T18:15:00.001-07:00

(hee, hee)

Flowers from my house and my mom's house. (Mostly my mom's.)

Eclipse

2010-07-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

We made some time to see the movie while all together in Arizona. Here are a couple group pics. We're standing in front a picture of "Bella."

AZ Vay-Cay!

2010-07-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

A typical Hughes get-together...

Rock band at Sandee's. They were pretty good.

Fun at Amanda's house.

Goofing around.

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-06-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

We got a Dairy Queen Cake to celebrate Father's Day. I told Abby that it was cold and asked if she remembered the "cold cake" we had before (for Mother's Day). Abby asked me if she could touch it. We let her touch the Mother's Day cake as well, so I said sure. It turns out, the freezer door didn't shut on this one so the cake was pretty soft. We went into the living room to sit and Abby escaped. My mom started laughing a minute later and asked me to come out to the dining room. There was Abby, eating the cake with her hands, then putting her hands on the table, the chair, and the desk. She mostly went after the frosting edge. This picture is Chris pushing the cake away from Abby.

Impressive

2010-06-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is Shirley. She is just like a grandma to us. Andrew's family kind of adopted her. We love to see her and spend time with her. She recently decided she wanted a cell phone, so she went out and bought a track phone. She's so up for trying something new. This is a picture of Andrew explaining the cell phone to her. Love it!

Birthday Surprise

2010-06-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Andrew's birthday is coming up and we've got a busy week ahead, so I surprised him on Friday night. My brother brought Rocky's Pizza from Stevens Point (Andrew's favorite) and my mom helped me with Andrew's "cake." Andrew does not like real birthday cake and he does like snickers- so this was perfect for him. They were all here to surprise him and it was great!

The Deck, Second Coat

2010-06-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

We finished the deck! And we got two coats on the front porch as well. Job well done. In this instance, "we" is Andrew.

The Deck

2010-05-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the project we tackled this weekend. We would not have been able to do it without my parents. They worked every bit as hard as we did and were awesome helpers. We'll need to do a second coat soon, but we'll be able to do that on our own (I think). I'll get more finished pictures when that work is complete. I honestly did not think our deck was this big when we started the job.

This is May?

2010-05-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Andrew and I got in a huge fight. Luckily it was a fun one. It was a snowball fight. Unfortunately, this is Wisconsin in May. I was going to put away the mittens. I might hang on to them a little longer.

The Giant Chair

2010-05-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I were shopping for patio furniture last weekend with my little brother, when we happened upon this little number. It was so ridiculous I had to get a pic. My little brother was a good sport. For ultra-sophistication, the store offered the McDonald's plastic singing fish nearby. We captured that one as well.

The Naughty Step

2010-05-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

When my brothers and I were younger and we misbehaved my mom would make us sit on "The Step." My niece was recently playing on the very same steps and she seemed way too happy there. I went to get a picture and Abby grabbed her Daddy and flashed this cheesy smile.

Kitchen Remodel... Ferge Style

2010-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

My parents recently updated their kitchen and it looks awesome! Andrew was a big help. They are lucky to have him and so am I. We remembered to take a few pictures.

Under the Weather

2010-02-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I have both been sick lately. He had bronchitis for more than two weeks, and I have come down with walking pneumonia. Andrew tells me this was expected as we are living in the frozen tundra. Unfortunately, Andrew's parents were visiting during this time. I think they escaped before they caught anything.

The Grumpy Face

2010-01-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

Abby is my adorable niece. She will turn 2 in February. She now makes faces on demand. This is her "Grumpy Face" and I love it! Also pictured: "Roll Your Eyes."

White Elephant Christmas

2009-12-25T13:26:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve, my family all goes to Wausau, WI to see my Grandma Ferge and the aunts and uncles and cousins. We trade "White Elephant" gifts that cost less than $5.00. For a twist, we spell out our last name. Last year was "F" so this year was "E". (Not the easiest letter.) The gifts have to start with the letter "E". Unfortunately, because of the weather, we decided to stay in town, so we traded amongst ourselves. Here is what everyone came up with.
1. Expresso Beans
2. Exotic Berry Wine Coolers
3. Eyeshadow
4. Elephant (stuffed animal)
5. Energizer Batteries
6. Electric Toothbrush
7. Exfoliating Heel Scrubber & Empty Tin
8. Eight O'Clock Coffee
9. Energizer Batteries (again)
10. Eclipse Gum
There were only 9 of us, but my mom supplied half the gifts including one extra. The person who drew #1 got to pick two wrapped gifts, choose from those, and put back the one they didn't want. Andrew was the lucky number 1. He unwrapped expresso beans and wine coolers. It was pretty funny! We supplied the electric toothbrush, which I am proud to say was as sought-after as the I-pod in The Office, Christmas Episode. Merry Christmas!

Blizzard

2009-12-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

We had our first big snowfall of the year. We got about 8 inches. Andrew thinks it was more like 10 or 12... It looks like this one will stick around. We are not expecting warm weather any time soon. We used our brand new snowblower for the first time today and are glad to report that it worked great! My parents (who have lived in Wisconsin their entire lives) have never used a snowblower. We took it over to their house today and my dad grinned the whole time he was using it (sorry I didn't capture that one on film). Here are pictures of our house, front and back, and Andrew using the snowblower near the street. Our driveway is WAY too long...

Big Dorks

2009-11-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

Tara and I went to see New Moon on opening day (of course). Here are some really dorky shots of Tara we took as we waited in line. Notice the excitement.

Our Ottoman is Stolen Right in Front of My Eyes

2009-11-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

I went to Stevens Point with my mom on Tuesday afternoon to pick up our furniture for our den. We were getting s sectional and an ottoman. The sectional came in 2 large pieces that fit into the bed of our truck. The ottoman (which was quite large) was stacked on top, wedged in between the 2 couch pieces. Everything is covered in plastic. (You can tell this isn’t going to go well, can’t you?) The guys from the furniture store supply the straps to tie everything down, but tell me they can’t help for liability purposes. I take the straps and start to make a large X over the load, like I’ve seen Andrew do at least a hundred times. I wanted to run a strap from the right front to the back left and from the left front to the back right. The guy stops me and tells me to take 3 straps, and run them right front to left front, right middle to left middle, and right back to left back. I finish and ask if he thinks it looks ok, that I am headed back to Marshfield, which is about an hour away. He says it looks fine and I’ll make it. I get onto the freeway and I’m not even a full mile down the road when I notice the middle strap flapping in the wind. This does not look right, so I pull over (on the freeway) and get out to take a look. My ottoman is gone. About 5 or 6 cars stop as I’m re-tightening the straps (to my much smaller load) to tell me I’m missing an ottoman and it’s about a ½ mile back (gotta love WI). I exit the freeway, find out I can’t turn left, wait for all kinds of traffic and finally get back on the freeway headed back towards the furniture store. I ask my mom to keep a lookout to see where about the ottoman is. We see this punk, stopped on the side of the road, lifting the ottoman into his jeep. Up ahead, I see a space to do a U-Turn, clearly marked “No U-Turns”. I went for it anyway, thinking this guy will surrender the ottoman as soon as I get to him. We are getting close, I’m flashing my lights and honking my horn… and the guy takes off. Not kidding! I could only get the first 4 characters on his license plate before this guy is off to the races. Now I’m chasing him down the freeway, I look in my rearview mirror and a state trooper is behind me. I call emergency, ask them to contact the officer behind me and have him pull over this joker with the ottoman. The punk exits, (going away from Marshfield, of course), I exit, the state trooper exits. We follow him about 20 miles, all of us stopped on the road at one point, and then he vanishes. The state trooper pulls over and gestures for me to do the same. He lets me know that the county police are out, taking all the different roads to this point. We wait for 10 minutes or so, he comes back and lets me know that no one has seen him and they’ll call me if they do- no joke! My ottoman is gone, my truck is out of gas, and this joker got away with highway robbery! I love it when I throw away $350, don’t you?

New Carpet

2009-10-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

This will be the office. The visible line is extra carpet they left behind to step on and keep the new carpet clean.

Living room, the lines are the extra carpet. Wish I'd moved them before I took the pics. Sorry!

Master bedroom, upstairs.

Stairs.

This is the bedroom on the main floor. We're going to use it as a den.

New House

2009-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

I had to post these, especially after hearing Andrew tell a friend (and I quote), "Pictures? Just check our blog. Rachel will put all that crap on there." Here it is folks. Because of special request, I give you... crap.

Fall in Wisconsin

2009-10-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

The leaves are really starting to change color and drop now- I love it! It's so beautiful. These pics are for my friends back in AZ who don't know what they are missing!

Hillbilly Deluxe

2009-10-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite shots of our Morenci house with 3 trailers. This was taken the last weekend we were there. Our trailer was loaded, sitting in our driveway (the white one, on the left). Sandee and Rulin brought their's (located directly in front of the house) for Amanda and Dave to pick up some of Amanda's things and the washer and dryer they bought from us. And James and Noell brought one (located on the right side of this pic) to pick up the furniture they bought from us. We looked like a bunch of Hillbillies and we were proud.

The End of the Birthday Posts

2009-10-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to go a whole year around and list everyone's birthday. I was surprised to see that I actually started with my sister-in-law, and Andrew's cousin, Tara (aka Slash). So those posts are complete. Andrew and I are finding the days fly by up here in the northern country. We have found a house and have an accepted offer. The home inspection went great today. Hopefully, we will move in before the end of the month.

The First Snowfall!

2009-10-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

I probably shouldn't be too happy about this, but the first flakes fell last night. Some stuck around and they're still falling. It has me thinking Christmas Carols, thinking, not singing, but a little out of season, never-the-less. Here is a shot of my parents' backyard. Everyone should be feeling sorry for Andrew right about now.

Happy Birthday Charles!

2009-10-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you're healing and have a great day! Looking forward to seeing you guys in a month. Happy Birthday!

Duke is Missing

2009-09-24T05:49:00.000-07:00

It's sad news that we received this morning. Somehow, our dog found a way to escape from Mike and Karen's 6 foot fence behind their house on Poppy. I wouldn't believe our Duke to capable of such scheming. Morenci Friends- please keep an eye out for the little guy. He is tall, and large, extremely friendly, and has no idea how big he really is. The tag he is wearing has our current phone number on it, but unfortunately our old address. I really appreciate your help when we are so far away and helpless. (We have a picture of Duke on the right, a little ways down the page.)

We Made It

2009-09-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Amazingly, after 3 days of impossible travel, we made it to Wisconsin. Andrew towed the trailer behind our pickup and I kept up in our car. I have NEVER driven more than 6 hours before, and by myself, I have never driven more than 4. Needless to say, it was a long 13 hours yesterday. We arrived with only a few casualities. I ran over a snake and we shredded a tire on the trailer. Despite those two things, I would declare the trip a success.

One week to go

2009-09-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I have been very busy getting packed up and working on last minute projects before we leave Morenci. We have loved our time here, especially Andrew's work schedule of 7 days on, 7 days off. But, those days are over and we are happy to be moving on. We will miss all the friends we have here, as well as Andrew's family. When we get to Wisconsin, we plan on staying with my parents until we find a home (the shopping will commence immediately) and Duke will be staying here until we get our house with a fence. We are looking forward to this weekend when much of Andrew's family will gather for 2 baby blessings- it's sure to be a good time and we'll get a chance to say goodbye to everyone.

Kenzee's Big Day

2009-08-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kenzee! Hope hope your birthday is super sweet! We love you!

Happy Birthday Emilee!

2009-08-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Em! Have fun celebrating your birthday today! We love you!

Pictures of Pictures

2009-08-12T14:08:00.001-07:00

Here are a two home projects I've been working on and am proud to show off. Amanda had to go and get married about a week after I finished this, so I'll have to update her picture, and Opal and Charles had their baby yesterday so I'll need a new picture for them as well. Oh, and Michael and Tanya had a new baby in July so their picture will need updating as well. It was up-to-date at the time this project was completed. And with a family as big as , it may be a full-time job keeping up!

Kayla's Golden Birthday!

2009-08-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Kayla- we hope your golden birthday is extra great. Wish we were there to celebrate with you! (Kayla is the tallest, pictured here with her brothers and sister.)

Brayden's Big Day

2009-08-09T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Brayden! We hope your day is super special!

Chris turns 30!

2009-08-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Chris! Hope you have a great day and surprise after surprise coming your way!

Happy Birthday Taylor!

2009-08-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

Taylor's 13! Woo-hoo! Happy Birthday Kid! Go easy with the neon nail polish.

Moving (yes, for real this time)

2009-08-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

This has been one heck of a roller coaster ride, but I'll be glad to step off. It will end in Marshfield, WI (my hometown). I'm super excited to move back so close to so much family and friends. Of course this came just in time for me to be mostly unpacked from the first false alarm. Oh well, I won't be complaining much. I'll leave that to Andrew, this winter. :) Andrew was offered a job at the Marshfield Clinic, in the business department, speaking Spanish (right up his alley). It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. We plan on leaving in a month or less. Now, where did those boxes get to? (This picture is the Wisconsin River, as seen from my Uncle Jim's house.)

The Birthday Blog is Back

2009-08-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Warning- we celebrate 6 birthdays in August, so get ready for that. We are also looking forward to seeing the newest Hughes this month as Opal is due the 17th. We are very excited for her and Charles! We made it back home on Sunday night, shortly after midnight. It was a very long trip and we are both glad to be back at home. We had a wonderful time in Wisconsin and really enjoyed our trip. It flew by, like those trips usually do, but we were glad to see everyone we were able to visit. But for right now it's home, sweet home.

Where in the World?

2009-08-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Guess where I am... Nope- not even close. Andrew and I were vacationing in Wisconsin until Friday, the 31st, but now I am in Nephi, UT. Andrew's sister, Amanda, is about to get married in Manti, UT and I am totally excited for her. The wedding is today at 5:00. Amanda called us on Monday morning to let us know that Dave proposed on Sunday. We couldn't be happier for her. They decided to get married on Saturday- less than one week away. They decided only the parents and grandparents would be invited. I've been calling it the "Announced Elopement." On Thursday night Amanda called us and asked if we would be willing to come if we were invited and we were "pleased as punch." So we flew into Phoenix Friday morning at 10:30, I had to do a little shopping and then we were back on the road. We stopped in Kanab, UT last night at 10:00, and made it to Nephi (our hotel is about an hour away from Manti) this morning at 11:30. It's a big day and I couldn't think of any other place I'd rather be!

Bryce, Bryce, Bryce

2009-07-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

We love you buddy! Hope you have the best birthday yet!

Happy Birthday John!

2009-07-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

It was great to see John and Kadee when they came back to Arizona for Jame's wedding. We hope Spain continues to treat you well! Have a fantastic day Johnny!

Decided

2009-07-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

We made a huge, living changing decision, then changed our minds before it was too late. For the past month or so, Andrew and I were planning to move back to Wisconsin. I was going to get back into school for pharmacy and Andrew was going to continue his online school until he became an official resident of WI. Long story short, I was halfway packed, we found buyers for our furniture and appliances and homes for a few give-away items. Then decided (like the irresponsible children we are) that things were not falling into place as we hoped they would. The major deal breaker was actually on my end. I could only get into one class that I needed this fall. The others were full. Andrew still said he was willing to move (gotta love him) and left it up to me. I decided (after much internal debate) that this was not the best move for our little family at the time. Although we still only get part-time work from the mine here in Morenci, we are very grateful for what we have. As Andrew continues his education, I could not imagine a better part-time job for him. This entire process has allowed us to reflect on our lives and recognize that although things aren't as great as they were before, we still have plenty to be thankful for.

Rulin's Big Day

2009-07-02T02:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of one of the many times Rulin has helped us out. This is after they poured the concrete walk at our house in Clifton. Thanks Rulin, we owe you big time! Hope you have a great birthday today!

Happy Birthday Grandma Litzer!

2009-07-02T02:00:00.000-07:00

Miss you! Love you!

Sandee Jo

2009-06-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

S-super mom

A-awesome friend

N-non-stop hugger

D-dreamy

E-enthusiastic

E-exciting

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDEE! So glad you came to visit last weekend. We had an awesome time with you here. Hope you have a great day- you deserve it!

Happy 31st Birthday Andrew!!

2009-06-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

In honor of this occasion, I give you;

31 Things I Like About Andrew
1. How you’re always teasing or joking.
2. How you stand up for what you believe.
3. You are a “strong man.”
4. You would rather hurt yourself than ask me to lift a finger.
5. Your generosity to others.
6. Your smile.
7. How you sing the high notes to the hymns at church.
8. How you’re a sucker for tickling.
9. Your interests in decorating our home.
10. Your collecting habits.
11. Your purging habits.

12. Your long dark hair. :)
13. How you’re an awesome tennis player and golfer.
14. Your knowledge of how things work.
15. The hand gestures and faces you make while singing.
16. Your ability to back up a trailer.
17. Your confident sense of direction.
18. The love you show to your family.
19. The obsessive way you play games.
20. Your stories from your crazier days.
21. Your willingness to try something for me.
22. Your ability to dream big.
23. Your dedication to pay tithing and save money.
24. Your competitive nature.
25. Your desire to provide.
26. Your willingness to help out.
27. You’re a great Uncle.
28. How I don’t feel safe at night, unless you’re at home.
29. How you change the lyrics of songs to be funny.
30. Your ability to fix things.
31. Your constant quoting of movies and tv shows.

Happy Birthday Honey, I hope its another great year!

Happy Birthday Kadee!

2009-05-29T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hope Spain is treating you well! PS Ian may have a future as a photographer...

Busy Week

2009-05-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

Andrew is currently working the last of his 4 night shifts in this rotation. There has been further talk of his position being eliminated. We are keeping our fingers crossed AND looking for other options. As one of our friends stated earlier this week, "We are onto Plan F, as in Failure." We know the feeling. :) On a positive note, Emilee and her family are coming to visit this weekend, and Charles and Opal are moving to Morenci this week. Andrew has finished school (with straight A's again) for the semester and is looking forward to a break. The house is nearly clean and we are both excited for guests this weekend.

What's New?

2009-05-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

Not much. I haven't posted for awhile, but there hasn't been much going on. Also, I joined FaceBook and spend my time on there. Andrew's still working 24 hours a week. It's getting hot out, BIG SURPRISE, and we have been playing some tennis. I'd post some pictures, but its not pretty. Andrew's schedule is 4 night shifts in a row, followed by 10 days off. We'd really like it if we were making enough money to travel and see some friends. The 24 hours a week thing cautions us against the traveling idea. So we've been sitting at home, watched all the episodes of House, and are now hooked. Also, I've had a cold for the past MONTH. It is dragging out forever. Last week, we went to Tucson (the 1st time we left the city since our TX trip) and took James his bronco. We had dinner with James and Noel (his fiance), and Charles and Opal. It was great, we threw a few peanut shells on the floor- just like home :)

Tanya and Opal

2009-04-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday! Hope you guys had a great day! And you're both pregnant too, hhmmm... We had tons of fun with Michael and Tanya in Texas, even though the kiddos were sick most of the time. Luckily I caught whatever they had on our last day there and have been sick since. Opal and Charles, we are looking forward to you guys moving up here...

Jack's Birthday

2009-04-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

Feliz Cumpleanos, Jack! Eat a piece of flan for us!

Happy Birthday Mike!

2009-04-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

We hope you have a great day! We appreciate all you give and all you do for us!

Happy Birthday Karen!

2009-04-03T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Karen! I hope you get the entire day off cause you deserve it! Thanks so much for all you do for us and everyone else you love! We really appreciate you and hope you have a gggrrreat day!

Happy Birthday Amanda!

2009-04-02T02:00:00.000-07:00

You can't tell time, I'm pretty sure you don't know how to add, I know you can't read, but you are super fantastic! Have a great day.

Headed to Texas

2009-03-31T18:54:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I are already sick of being home so we are leaving for Texas tomorrow (saddle up the ponies). We are really looking forward to the trip and visiting Michael's family. I killed a scorpion in my home today, so I really don't mind that we are leaving now. Andrew has worked everday since we got back so we are both glad this vacation. I'm packing the shorts and thinking warm thoughts...

This is a way cute picture of my dad holding Abby, neither of which will be in Texas.

Happy Birthday Kamee!

2009-03-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

We don't have any pictures of Kamee, I know, it's shameful right? But that doesn't mean we love you any less. Congratulations on walking already, you are a super quick study and a joy to be around!

We made it!

2009-03-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Well, for those of you who don't know, Andrew is king of the road! He drove almost the whole way home- 18 hours the 1st day, and 10 hours the 2nd day. He even stopped for a full night (unheard of for him) and we got some so-so sleep at a hotel. The place we stopped at was just off the freeway (loud) and it smelled like a manure truck ran over a skunk near by. Also, the beds were hard. I'd give it a 2 out of 5 stars cause I'm a nice person. We made it home last night, in time to do the laundry and put everything away and enjoy being at home. Our dog remembered us but I think he's holding a grudge...

Big News

2009-03-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

After 5 weeks of worrying and waiting, we got the phone call. Not for me, no one wants me :( (They don't know what they are missing, they don't know what they are missing.) Andrew was called back to work part-time at the power plant for the mine. It is possible the work may turn into full time. We are relieved to have somewhere to go for awhile at least. If the work does not become full time, we will most likely continue to look for me elsewhere. We leave for AZ on Friday. There have been some memorable moments on this trip including (but not limited to); my dad losing his tooth, Chris saving a child's life by administering CPR, and then getting staff infections in both legs, the heat wave, playing Wii at Chris and Tara's, and last but not least, Abby standing up on her own in the middle of the room. Thanks to everyone for opening up their homes and making Andrew and I feel so welcome up here- we really appreciated it!

Top of the Mornin to Ya!

2009-03-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Be sure to wear green. -Amanda, wear the shirt OR ELSE!

Congrats Emilee and Colt!

2009-03-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome baby Hahna! Andrew and I are so excited and wanted to congratulate you guys! Can't wait to see pics.

It's snowing

2009-03-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I just got back today from visiting my brother, Chris, and his wife, Tara (Andrew's cousin) -don't question it, just go along with it; and their daughter the amazingly cute Abby in Manitowoc, WI. It snowed 6 inches yesterday and it was a winter wonderland. Andrew and I stared out the window in amazement- it was so beautiful. Or maybe I was looking out the window with Abby since everyone else was so tired of the snow they were physically sick from the sight of it. Chris and Tara bought a Wii so we had a lot of fun playing games. Tara is a serious gamer- don't mess with her. I had an interview in Muskego- don't try to pronounce it, you won't get it right, but I haven't heard anything yet. Andrew and I are continuing to look, but have not struck gold yet. In the meantime, we have found Rockies Pizza in several cities and have been enjoying it.

Happy Birthday Michael!

2009-03-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

Hey Buddy. Hope you have a great day! Don't break a hip.

Happy Birthday Colt!

2009-03-01T15:18:00.000-08:00

We don't have a picture of Colt alone, so here he is with a golfing group. Happy Birthday Colt. Have a great day!

Andrew is suffering

2009-02-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

We have decided to prolong our stay in Central WI to look for jobs because the weather here has Andrew mesmerizied. Ok, maybe his brain is just frozen cause he won't wear a jacket outside (pants- instead of shorts- was even a stretch for him). We went to see "Taken" last night at the movie theater. It was good- not anywhere near as scary as I thought it would be. My dad and Andrew both gave it two thumbs up. I am developing carpal-tunnel from filling out too many applications. Any company would run so much smoother if they had "The Rachel Hughes Experience." That's what I keep telling myself. Don't worry about me- I'm actually enjoying the weather. Don't worry about Andrew- he's getting Rockies Pizza on Thursday.

Happy Birthday AbbY!

2009-02-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Kid. We can't believe you are one already. Auntie and Uncie love you!

Go Green

2009-02-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is on the way!! Yay! Goodbye hearts and pink and lace..... hello green! Yes, I'm really Irish and looking forward to St. Patrick's Day. Nothing new on the job front for me. I've got a few more leads, but no interviews yet. Plenty of houses to check out once we are certain we can find work here. Amanda, break out the green shirts- we'll be twins!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T06:52:00.000-08:00

We are currently in Marshfield, WI looking for work and enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. Andrew and I have also started to look for a home here and the possibilites are endless. The first day we looked, we spent 6 hours in the car with my poor parents, driving around the city. We drove straight-through from AZ to get here Wednesday, in large part to Andrew's mad driving skills. We have already made it to Rockies Pizza, the most magical pizza place in the world, and enjoyed a slice each. The job search is slow and not going as quickly as we hoped it would. I brought my camera, but forgot my cord to connect it to my computer, so no new pics for awhile. :( I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day and I hope Andrew still wants to be my Valentine. I'll know he does if he comments on this post today.... tick tock, tick tock...

Happy Birthday Ashlynn!

2009-02-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

A is for age: 8

B is for Breakfast: soggy cereal

C is for Favorite Color: pink

D is for Dog’s name: Max

E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: toothpaste

F is for Favorite T.V. Show: anything Princess

G is for Favorite Game: Disney Scene It

H is for Hometown: Aubry, TX

I is for Instruments I play: drums

J is for Job: cleaning up my room

K is for Kitchen: helps clean up

L is Last Place I Ate out: Chik-fil-a
M is for Marriage: she’s too young!

N is for Nickname: Sassy Pants

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none?

P is People I was with Today: Mom, Dad, Kayla, Brayden, and Hunter

Q is for Quote: I want it now!

R is for Biggest Regret: climbing up on the hutch

S is for Sport: baseball

T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00

U is for Useless info: I’m super sassy, but I make up for it by being super cute.

V is for Last Vacation you took: Disney World

W is for Worst Habit: interrupting her mom

X is for X-rays: none

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake

Z is for Zodiac: Aquarius

Lay-offs

2009-02-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

Today was the big lay-off day at the mine. Apparently, they called in every worker here, whether they were getting the boot or not. I'm surprised they didn't take unnecessary commercial breaks before they let the poor guys know. "And now, we will find out if you get to keep your job or not. YOU..... HAVE.... First let's take a commerical break and get a quick word from our sponsers." Anyway, Andrew was laid off, so we are onto contingency plan A. (Looking for work in WI.) I think my dad already lined up a job for me in case things would go his way. He had a hard time sounding really sorry for us. :) Andrew was asked to stay on until the end of March, so we have plenty of time to figure out our next step. We are both sincerely looking forward to this new oppurtunity and, at the same time, will miss what we are leaving behind.

Shelfari is NOT just for kids

2009-01-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

Things are still going well in M-town. We just received word last night that Opal is pregnant and we are super excited for her and Charles- Congratulations Guys! So this year, we will be welcoming 3 new neices or nephews into the family. It is amazing to me how our numbers continue to grow. I got an invite from my friend to join Shelfari and I've been busy with that today. (There's a link over on the right.) It allows you to rate books you've read and see what your friends are reading and reccomending. It's only kinda disappointing to discover all of the books on my list are for kids. I'm not really that surprised. When I find a book I like, I read it over and over and over. I just finished my re-read of "Host" today. And no matter what Sandee says, that book is not even in the same league as the Twilight series. Duke got a bath tonight and is very grateful, although I probably won't attempt that one on my own again. Only 2 more days until we know Andrew's fate at work. I think he'll get the ax and we'll be living in WI by the end of next month. hahaha- I'm just not that lucky. I waited as long as I could to change the blog for Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I love romantics (Andrew included), I just hate all the pink and frilly things.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-01-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

A is for age: I don't know if I'm allowed to say.
B is for Breakfast: fruit
C is for Favorite Color: green
D is for Dog’s name: Gabe
E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: books
F is for Favorite Movie: Fried Green Tomatoes
G is for Favorite Game: Scrunch
H is for Hometown: Schofield, WI
I is for Instruments I play: none
J is for Job: Hard working mom and grandma
K is for Kitchen: one of the best cooks ever!
L is Last Place I Ate out: West 14th
M is for Marriage: 37 years
N is for Nickname: C-Lo, Lovee
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: collapsed lung
P is People I was with Today: Bill
Q is for Quote: eye-roll in the general direction of my father
R is for Biggest Regret: none
S is for Sport: Baseball
T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00
U is for Useless info: I love Alex the most.
V is for Last Vacation you took: Manitowoc
W is for Worst Habit: Riding on the front of bikes...
X is for X-rays: chest
Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake
Z is for Zodiac: Aquarius

What else

2009-01-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

In a sincere effort to not change the blog's name to "Birthday Blog" I'm going to sneak in here with a quick catch-up. This pic is me with my bros at home for Christmas. My mom bought us matching shirts and we looked SWEET! Andrew and I stayed at a nice resort in NM on our way back from the El Paso airport. It was a very nice anniversary celebration for both of us. I turned 27. (hoorah!) And the mine where Andrew works announced a huge lay-off coming in February. They are planning to let go of 1550 employees (half of their work force). No one that I've talked to has seen this big of a lay-off before, so we're not sure what to expect. We've started on contingency plans and organizing, but we know whatever happens will be for the best. I'll update when we know more... Oh, and I got really nice gifts from Andrew for Christmas, but jostling for spot #1 has to be the Twilight series. I absolutely LOVE them. I read each book in one day and now am on my 3rd re-read. (I know, I'm a dork.)

Happy Birthday Grandma Ferge!

2009-01-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

A is for age: 85
B is for Breakfast: toast
C is for Favorite Color: red
D is for Dog’s name: too many
E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: glasses
F is for Favorite Movie: Gun Smoke
G is for Favorite Game: bingo
H is for Hometown: Schofield, WI
I is for Instruments I play: none
J is for Job: Retired, but still volunteers
K is for Kitchen: likes to cook soup
L is Last Place I Ate out: Culvers

M is for Money: lots of it
N is for Nickname: Grandma
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: heart surgery :(
P is People I was with Today: Jim & Laurie
Q is for Quote: I love you.

R is for Biggest Regret: not seeing the world

S is for Sport: enjoyed watching football when her sons played
T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00
U is for Useless info: I lost my driver's lincense last year for no good reason.
V is for Last Vacation you took: Tomahawk

W is for Worst Habit: I used to smoke.

X is for X-rays: none I know of....

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake
Z is for Zodiac: Capricorn

Happy Birthday James!

2009-01-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Old Man!

A is for age: 25

B is for Breakfast: cookies

C is for Favorite Color: green

D is for Dog’s name: none so far

E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: laptop

F is for Favorite Movie: Top Gun

G is for Favorite Game: Wii Dodgeball

H is for Hometown: Eau Claire, WI

I is for Instruments I play: none

J is for Job: intern

K is for Kitchen: likes to eat

L is Last Place I Ate out: Outback
M is for Marriage: no contenders yet

N is for Nickname: Old Man

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none

P is People I was with Today: Charles & Opal

Q is for Quote: Hey, you bumped into me!

R is for Biggest Regret: leaving Wisconsin

S is for Sport: Baseball

T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00

U is for Useless info: I am the youngest boy in the fam.

V is for Last Vacation you took: Morenci

W is for Worst Habit: chewing tobacco

X is for X-rays: middle finger

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake

Z is for Zodiac: Capricorn

Feliz Cumpleanos Ian!

2009-01-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Ian- we hope you are having a great birthday in Spain! We miss your cheesy smile.

A is for age: 3
B is for Breakfast: flan
C is for Favorite Color: orange
D is for Dog’s name: none so far
E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: golf ball
F is for Favorite Movie: Cinderella
G is for Favorite Game: Shoot the whale
H is for Hometown: Tucson, AZ
I is for Instruments I play: piano
J is for Job: being a big brother
K is for Kitchen: a big eater
L is Last Place I Ate out: a villa
M is for Marriage: no contenders yet
N is for Nickname: Crusher
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none
P is People I was with Today: Mom, Dad, and Jack
Q is for Quote: Nnnnoooooiieee!
R is for Biggest Regret: Not picking up the legos.
S is for Sport: Baseball
T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00
U is for Useless info: I don’t give hugs unless forced.
V is for Last Vacation you took: Does Spain count?
W is for Worst Habit: following trains
X is for X-rays: none
Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake
Z is for Zodiac: Capricorn

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

We are finally back home. I got stuck a few extra days in Wisconsin due to the weather. Andrew planned a nice resort stay for us when I got back and it had to get switched from Scottsdale to Las Cruses (since I flew into El Paso instead of Phoenix). It was a very nice anniversary celebration, but I sure am glad to be back at home. I hope everyone had a happy new year!

And to All a Goodnight

2008-12-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!! I am celebrating in central Wisconsin, where it is currently -1 degrees out (and I wouldn't have it any other way). I am so glad that I was able to come up and visit with so many friends and family. Andrew, this is one of the best gifts ever! I took lots of pictures, but I did not bring our picture downloading devices along, so...... pictures to follow. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and remember, if it's not White, you're missing out!

Established December 20, 2003

2008-12-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 5th year Anniversary, Andrew. I didn't think we'd make it this far... :) YMMDCT!

Happy Birthday Hunter!

2008-12-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Hunter! We hope you have a great day!

A is for age: 6
B is for Breakfast: fruit loops
C is for Favorite Color: green
D is for Dog’s name: Max
E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: crayons
F is for Favorite T.V. Show: Thomas the Train
G is for Favorite Game: Wii Bowling
H is for Hometown: Denton, TX
I is for Instruments I play: piano
J is for Job: homework
K is for Kitchen: a big helper
L is Last Place I Ate out: Chik-fil-a
M is for Marriage: I’ve got my eye on a couple of girls…
N is for Nickname: Sweetheart
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none
P is People I was with Today: Mom, Dad, Kayla, Brayden, and Ashlynn
Q is for Quote: Will you take me to Chik-fil-a???
R is for Biggest Regret: skate-boarding in the house
S is for Sport: Football
T is for Time I Wake up: 7:00
U is for Useless info: I’m super sweet and very kind to others.
V is for Last Vacation you took: Walt Disney World
W is for Worst Habit: not brushing my teeth
X is for X-rays: none
Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake
Z is for Zodiac: Sagittarius

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2008-12-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, you darling little girl! (Emilee or Colt, feel free to correct me on any of these guesses.)

A is for age: 2

B is for Breakfast: bagels

C is for Favorite Color: pink

D is for Favorite Dog’s name: Duke

E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: diapers

F is for Favorite T.V. Show: Care Bears

G is for Favorite Game: DDR

H is for Hometown: Flagstaff, AZ

I is for Instruments I play: drums

J is for Job: being the cutest kid around

K is for Kitchen: loves to crack eggs

L is Last Place I Ate out: McDonalds
M is for Marriage: she’s too young!

N is for Nickname: SarBear

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none

P is People I was with Today: Mommy, Daddy, and Kamee

Q is for Quote: Hey Buddy

R is for Biggest Regret: sneaking candy out of the candy drawer

S is for Sport: Track & Field

T is for Time I Wake up: 7:30

U is for Useless info: Uncle Andy adores me.

V is for Last Vacation you took: Utah

W is for Worst Habit: not speaking my mind

X is for X-rays: none

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake, I hope.

Z is for Zodiac: Sagittarius

What a Week

2008-12-09T23:53:00.000-08:00

We've been on vacation but are now back home. Naturally, one of the first things I wanted to do was start on the heaping piles of laundry. My darling husband left a PACK of gum in his pants pocket on the first (and only) batch of clothes I did. Unfortunately, I did not notice it until the dryer buzzer went off. I called him and told him he was "dead meat" and then started to clean. My house now has the ever so lovely aroma of lighter fluid. Most of the clothes had to be thrown out, but some were saved. Andrew took on the worst job; cleaning the dryer. The gum was everywhere. No elk to speak of, but I got in on some major shopping deals!

Well it's not Turkey

2008-11-30T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. We really enjoyed our weekend with everyone here. Andrew was working night shifts for the first part so Sandee and Rulin stayed up late with me one night and helped put a new floor in on our kitchen, dining room, entry way, and bathroom. Andrew was pretty surprised when he came home. And when I say that Sandee and Rulin "helped" they really did all the hard work- Thanks again you guys! We did have Mexican food on Thanksgiving but Karen was reprieved when she served turkey on Saturday.

Did you see the turdy pointer?

2008-11-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

As it is opening weekend back in Wisconsin, good luck to all the deer hunters out there. And good luck to our elk hunters here, although that season does not open for a few more weeks. Don't these guys look good in blaze orange? I am suddenly hungry for venison.

Happy Birthday Alex!

2008-11-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Al’s Turn!!! I will answer the questions to the best of my ability for the birthday boy. Here goes…

A is for age: 22

B is for Breakfast: none

C is for Favorite Color: orange

D is for Dog’s name: none so far

E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: glasses/contacts

F is for Favorite T.V. Show: Rome

G is for Favorite Game: Risk

H is for Hometown: Marshfield, WI

I is for Instruments I play: none

J is for Job: student

K is for Kitchen: Chef in Training

L is Last Place I Ate out: Draganetti’s
M is for Marriage: he’s too young!

N is for Nickname: Big Al

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: none I can think of

P is People I was with Today: Cali

Q is for Quote: WHERE’S THE BEANIE!!!

R is for Biggest Regret: Not showing my sister enough respect.

S is for Sport: Football

T is for Time I Wake up: 9

U is for Useless info: Alex was hit in the head with a baseball bat at a young age.

V is for Last Vacation you took: Brewer’s Game

W is for Worst Habit: being too shy

X is for X-rays: have you had any?

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake, I hope.

Z is for Zodiac: Scorpio

Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-11-11T11:39:00.001-08:00

I saw this on a friend’s blog and decided to put a twist to it and use it on mine. I will answer the questions to the best of my ability for the birthday boy. Here goes…

A is for age: 62

B is for Breakfast: Coffee

C is for Career: Teacher

D is for Dog’s name: Gabe

E is for Essential Item I use Everyday: Tylenol Arthritis

F is for Favorite T.V. Show: Walker Texas Ranger

G is for Favorite Game: Bocce Ball

H is for Hometown: Schofield, WI

I is for Instruments I play: ha, ha, ha

J is for Favorite Juice: Orange?

K is for Kitchen: not in there very much

L is Last Place I Ate out: Applebee’s
M is for Marriage: 37 years

N is for Nickname: Billy

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: those darn hips

P is People I was with Today: Carlo and the barber

Q is for Quote: Daylight in the swamp!

R is for Biggest Regret: none

S is for Sport: Football

T is for Time I Wake up: 7

U is for Useless info: Dad had his tonsils taken out twice.

V is for Last Vacation you took: "Everyday is a vacation, I’m retired."

W is for Worst Habit: swearing

X is for X-rays I have had: too many to list

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Birthday Cake, I hope.

Z is for Zodiac: (I had to look it up.) Scorpio

The Dancing Dog

2008-11-09T22:55:00.000-08:00

Here he is............ Sir Duke! Or maybe he's the lady, cause Andrew looks like he is in the lead. Duke was seriously embarassed in this sweater. I was trying to get pictures of just him, but he kept following Andrew around, trying to hide. The next morning, I had to call him to come out for breakfast. He tried to "hide" in his dog house and just poke his head out. I feel bad because he seems cold, but I'd rather not "embarass" him, so no more sweater for now.

Done done

2008-11-06T10:27:00.001-08:00

We painted the desks and put most of our things away. Here is an up-to-date picture on our progress. We want to say thanks to Michael again for coming here and helping us! And thanks to Andrew for all of his hard work. You can't see it, but (among several other things) he installed LED lights on the bottom of the bookcases so we have the ability to work through the night in our office. One more thing; Andrew, if you are wondering where all of your junk went that was sitting on top of your desk, its in the drawer. Love, The Maid.

Snoopy Dog

2008-11-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

It has been getting cold out at night (relatively cold, for all you in Wisconsin sniggering at that comment) so I decided to give Duke another blanket. We like to mess with him, so I threw the blanket over him, covering his giant head. He quickly got the blanket off his head, then just ran around with it dragging behind him. I thought it was so funny, I brought him inside and took a few pictures. Karen recently made him a sweater... Pictures to follow.