—– On a different note, on Friday the 13th I went by the vet and picked up Maggie’s remains. She was cremated as most of you know. I cannot believe how difficult that simple act was for me to do. The ashes are in a nice little can and there is a swatch of her hair under plastic on top of it. We will keep it here until Spring and then likely find a nice spot in the sunshine in the backyard she loved so much, and bury her there. Still tough to even write about – hope it always will be because I hope I never forget what we lost with her passing.
Well – I have gone on for quite awhile here so probably time to bring it to an end.

***** BY THE WAY —- WHEN DOES MY FIRST STIMULUS PAYMENT GET HERE FROM MR. OBAMA? I could use a booster shot in the wallet – but my guess is they’ll miss my wallet!

Peace & love.

The Dad

My First Christmas!

December 26, 2008 by Braelyn 

Boy did I get a good night sleep last night!  Finally, because I have been so tired having had so much to do for the past week.  I flew to Denver on the 19th with my mommy and daddy, and we rented a car and drove to Fort Collins and picked up my cousin Courtney who rode to Casper, Wyoming with us.  We got to grandma and grandpa’s house where we spent almost a whole week.  It was really fun, but there were so many people around that I didn’t sleep much because I didn’t want to miss out on a thing!

While in Casper, I got to spend time with a lot of my family that I never get to see, so it was so much fun!  I played at Great-Grandma Hotshot’s house with all of her Christmas toys.  They play music and I like to dance to it.  I also like crawling around her house and exploring all the really fun stuff.  I got stuck a few times!  Daddy is going to put some pictures up on his website, maybe on mine, too.  I loved seeing my great-grandma.  She loves me so much and I love her, too!

I also got to see my Great-Grandpa Carlen.  This funny guy just keeps kissing and loving on me.  He gave me so many kisses this past week that I won’t know what to do without them.  He is so lucky… he is going to spend a whole month in California.  I haven’t ever been to California, but my mommy and daddy said we’ll go there sometime and go to Disney Land and see our family out there.  I can’t wait!

I also got to see my Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Mikey and my cousins Stephen and Ashley.  They all love me, too!  It was really fun spending time with them and going over to their house to party like the rockstar I am!  When I grow up I hope I can dance as good as Ashley.  Ashley and Courtney both tell me how hot Zac Efron is.  He is cute, but I don’t like boys yet.  I also am going to learn karate like Stephen so I can keep all the boys away from me!

Of course I also got to spend a lot of time with my Grandma Vickie and Grandpa Steve.  Boy, I sure love them and wish I could see them a lot more.  I have been lucky to see them a lot this first year of my life, especially considering how far away they live from me.  They love me lots and it was sure fun seeing them in person instead of on the computer like we always do.

I can’t forget to mention that my oldest cousin Brandon “Big B” was there for some of the time and so was my cousin Keegan.  They were fun to hang out with, too!  I just wish that Big B, Nathan,  and my Aunt Wendy and Uncle Tony could have been in Casper for Christmas Eve with us.  It’s ok, though, because I got to go see them on Christmas Day in Fort Collins.  It was weird to see them all at the hospital because Big B had surgery on Christmas Eve morning.  His surgery went well!  He looked different with a bandage all over his head, but I got to see him after they took it off and he had cheeks just like me!  Big B loves me lots and kept holding my hand.  He is so special, I love him so much.  Nathan thinks I’m pretty cool, too.  He always likes to hold me when I see him.  I can’t believe how big he is now!  I will get to see him in May when he graduates from high school.  It was really fun seeing all of the Lechers, even if it was at the hospital.

Besides seeing everyone for Christmas, I had a lot of firsts while in Casper.  I went to church for the first time and I was such a good girl.  I really liked it and want mommy and daddy to take me to church more often.  I think God is pretty cool!  I also took two steps on several occasions.  Everyone clapped and told me how big I was — they are so weird!  And, I got lots of presents!  Aunt Stephanie cheated and gave me one of my presents a few days early.  It was a really neat play purse full of fun stuff.  I also got a coat and a bunch of clothes from my grandma and grandpa.  I got a really pretty (even if my daddy doesn’t think so) leopard print outfit from the Lovatos and Ashley.  The Lechers got me some really cute purple overalls and matching shirt.  Great Granpa Emmett gave me one of my great-grandma cookie’s collector beanie babies, and my great-grandma hotshot gave me money that mommy and daddy are putting into my savings account for me.  While all of the presents were neat, I really loved playing with the wrapping paper and bows!  I also loved dancing to all the music that was played.

On Christmas Day we flew back home where I got even more presents.  None topped seeing my Bubba again!  I really missed him but was happy to see him when we picked him up from his Daddy/SD’s house.  When we got home, I got to open more presents from Santa, Mommy, Daddy and Bubba!  I got a big kitchen to play with, a really neat musical stand with a computer just like daddy’s, an awesome Dave Matthews Band shirt and more!  It was a great first Christmas, that’s for sure.

This morning when I woke up after a long, really great sleep in my own bed, I got to see my Hoover (and the other dog) again!  I really missed them, too.

Well, I think I need to go take a nap.  I am exhausted just thinking about all of the wonderful time I got to spend with my family and all of the fun and pretty presents I got.  I can’t wait for Sunday because I get to have another Christmas with my Grandma and Grandpa Bradshaw, my uncle Chris, Aunt Sandy and my cousins Cayse and Wyatt.  I bet more people will be there, too.  And then, in just a couple of weeks I will get MORE presents because it will be my First Birthday!  Oh, the excitement.  I am tired.  Watch for pictures and probably even some Hoover videos coming soon!

Love,

Braelyn Grace

Well I think it’s time for me to take a nap.  I am so exhausted just thinking about all of the

the mom: Father’s Day Eve

November 28, 2008 by Lovatos 

And we are all blessed to have you and your family in our life…

Large picture

August 14, 2008 by Vickie Elledge 

We ordered a 20 x 30 of the canvas wrap of the photo on the home page. It came today and it is absolutely wonderful. Of course I am predjudice, but the subject matter is my favorite anyway.
Happy 7th birthday to Mr. Stevie Lovato. Hard to believe he is 7 and a 2nd grader already. Not a baby anymore, a kid now. Sister Ashley is competing for Miss Teen Wyoming in a few weeks. That might be exciting and lots of fun for her.
Saw Braelyn, and family on the web cam. She played with the keyboard and screwed up the justification on her dad’s computer.. oh fun.. just beginning. Great to see all of them. Even Hoovie and Sophie made an appearance. Spencer has to go to school tomorrow. The rest go next week.
Brandon says he will be here on Sunday. His new furniture has not arrived yet and when I talked to the furniture company today, it sounds like it will not be until next week anyway. So hope the mattress is comfortable for about a week..
Gotta go over to have birthday cake for Stevie. He got up this morning to open presents at 3:00 am. (I guess there is a 3 am). He says that is the time he was born so he needed to get up then. I am not sure he had that one right, but its his story. All he wants for his birthday from us is a new crisp 100.00 bill. Crazy kid. Oh well, he has his reasons I am sure. Wonder what the stores will think when he shows up to buy a toy with a hundred dollar bill. Hope he keeps an eye on it. I have seen him lay his money down and forget he has it. I have gone back looking for money for him more than once.
Well that is it for me… hope you all had a great day.

Guess I should agree with Steve and Ryan NO BO

Quite A Week!

July 20, 2008 by admin 

The last seven days have been eventful to say the least.  A variety of things going on — pretty much never a dull moment.

     Work was work – did my share of day travel, took on a couple of new projrcts that look really interesting, checked in on a couple that are under construction (I love it when we get to that point…..actually doing something material), and worked with a couple that are in process.  All in all – pretty well rounded week and no complaints.

     Personal life was busy!  Mom ended up in the hospital on Wednesday – just couldn’t get around and severe pain in her back.  She is still there as i write – though she has moved over to the Transitional Care Unit – kind of a physical therapy arrangement to get her back on her feet and evaluate her capacity and capabilities to see if she can go back to tending for herself or if it is time for an Assisted Living arrangement.  I am guessing she will be in there for another couple of days anyway.  Sooo….did alot of running around taking care of her stuff, getting her what she needed, etc. etc. ….. and just visiting with her a bit.

     Nate, Courtney, and Keegan came up this past week also so Nate could help his Grandma get some stuff out of the basement.  They did a great job!  I think the local landfill is a little bit fuller than it was last week – they took some major loads to the dump!  Starting to look like the "B" will actually have some room down there if he decides toi move up this way for work & school.  Anyway — thanks to Nate for alot of help.  The last night he was here we loaded up the pool table and ping pong table cover in his truck and tied it down good and he took them home with him.  I committed to give Nate those items some time ago — and frankly I cant think of a better place for them.  He is one fine young man!  Oh … and while I am mentioning fine young men …. that Keegan is really coming into his own.  What a great one!  And finally as we discuss the visiting Lechers, you can see that Courtney got this blogging figured out – what a sweetie – I am guessing we will hear more from her.

     Steph & Mike & Stephen took Ashley and Courtney to Cheyenne last night so they could use their Christmas presents "finally" – they had tickets to the Taylor Swift concert at Frontier Days.  Those two young ladies looked totally awesome all dressed up before they left.  Have i told you lately about my three awesome granddaughters?  Wowzers!  I havent heard from anyone this morning but am assuming they had a good time, that the Lovato’s are back in Casper, and that Courtney is in Colorado.  She was excited to get home so she could go to a Rockies game at Coors Field with a group of friends today.  Busy people!

     I think that one of the events of the past week that was interesting is that I believe Ashley has become somewhat hooked on Texas Hold ‘Em!  Yep – Ashley & Stephen & Coutrtney and Vic & I had some great sessions this past week.  Fun!

     Oh …. also got the motorhome all serviced and set up.  Probably going to use it for a bedroom etc. for some of the end of month guests that are anticipated here.  Sounds like we "could" have alot of different family visits from both sides of our family.  I don’t think summer is going to slow down for awhile!

     Well …. time to clean up and head up to see how Ma is doing this morning.  And yes Son — I will put on a heavy dose of BO repellant!

the dad

In the Past Few Weeks…

July 14, 2008 by admin 

Teachers are supposed to have more time in the summer, RIGHT? Our summer has been very busy so far. Ashley has taken many dance classes getting ready for the next competition season. We just returned from Nationals in California at the Disneyland Hotel. She received 2 Diamonds (Platnium), 3 Rubies (Gold) and one Emerald (Silver). She did an awesome job and competed really well for a girl from a smaller dance community.

Stephen tested for his purple belt in Tae Kwon Do on Saturday. He passed the test and is now taking the advanced classes. In less then a years time he went through all of the lower belts and is more then halfway to his black belt. He is a tough little dude and now he has formal training.

Mike visited his family in Evanston over the 4th. He was able to spend time with both of his parents and brothers Rockey and Troy. He seemed to have a really good time but hated seeing how ill his father has become. He was also able to spend time with his nieces, Taylor and Savannah. He sent us pictures of the girls and they definatly look like Lovato’s. I always thought Stephen looked like a Lovato but not so much after seeing the pictures of the girls.

Then there is Talladega. I always mention her as a joke because I don’t want her to feel like she is not an important part of our family. This time I have real news about her antics. Tally got sick at the beginning of June. We aren’t quite sure what made her sick but she stopped eating and vomited for at least a week. She was becoming dehydrated. We took her to the vet and after x-rays of her stomach it was determined that she had a virus. So we spent two weeks giving her antacids and vomiting medication. ONE DAY after finishing her medication she developed kennel cough. She got it from the vet the week previous. So more vomiting and two more kinds of medication! Just as she is getting back to normal we notice her whimpering and biting her tail. We are thinking yeast infection from the antibiotics. Mike and I were arguing about who gets to apply that cream…Anyway we take her to the vet and she doesn’t have a yeast infection…she broke her tail! So two more medications. She seems to be on the mend however Mike kenneled her while he went to Evanston so I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. So she really was news worthy since the last update and quite expensive. They forgot to send me three hundred dollars for her in the tax rebate check!

I started teaching summer school today. I am making Stephen go with me since I haven’t ever really gotten a chance to be his teacher. I made Ashley go when she was in second grade also. I am proud to announce that Stephen is going to have a very lucky second grade teacher next year. He is so much smarter then the new crop of incoming second graders I will be getting.

I am finally getting caught up at home after being gone for the 10 days we were in So. California. I love the California lifestyle. I just didn’t get enough sleep this trip. It was nice to catch up with my California relatives and I got to meet up with a friend that I went to junior high with. On a whim I texted her as we went through the town she lived in while in high school. I had visited her many times in high school and a couple of times since then. I was surprised to receive a phone call from her and that she was in So. California also. We met up for lunch and it was really fun to get to visit with her. I hope to talk to her again real soon.

I had camera issues at Disneyland so I will only be uploading a few pictures. I am definately NOT related to my brother, mother, aunt and cousins when it comes to taking pictures. I don’t like carrying my camera around and think it is easier not to hassle it. I have to go a get Stephen ready for his new class and get dinner ready for the family. Have a great one! Steph

The Monday After.

June 16, 2008 by admin 

Well, another Father’s Day has come and gone.  I don’t know if I can remember one that could be any better.  Alot of nice things happened to me this year.

A few of the highlights:

* I started the day by reading a really nice blog from Stephanie.

* I spent some time with my Mom at her place catching up the checkbook and visiting.

* I spent alot of time outside edging the front lawn which needed it severely.

* Vickie brought Emmet over and he helped me out while she shopped and prepared for a nice backyard BBQ.  That was alot of fun for me just visiting with him and getting him some physical exercise.  In fact, I think I wore him out a bit but he was really proud of it.  Was nice.

* Wendy called and visited – she made it home from Courtney’s Softball tournament and all seems well in FC.  Apparently the Big B is a two car man now.  Didn’t get to visit at length.

*Ryan called in on the computer and we had a great time using video cam with he and BGE and even Rebecca at the end.  BGE was in a good mood and performed for all of us.

* Nice hamburger BBQ with my Mom, Emmet, Vic, and the Lovato’s.  I managed to get a water fight going with Stephen and he and I had a good time.

*  Then another very nice blog posted by Ryan.

*  The "girls" – Mag & Soph – gave me a lawn mower service for the summer and I am already enjoying that.

     I am one blessed individual – 3 awesome kids with super families – a great wife – good family heritage – a comfortable home – HEY! – we even went over and started up the MotorHome and everything worked!  It wintered well.  Thanks to God for all of the above and so much more.

     Today I drive to Cheyenne – fly to San Jose tomorrow morning early for business calls in the San Francisco area – fly back to Cheyenne Wed evening – meeting in Cheyenne Thursday morning to hopefully get a big grant approved for the Town of Glenrock – then drive to Casper for a 4PM meeting with the County Commissioners.  Can’t remember what is up for Friday but I am sure there is something!

     Roofers are supposed to start on our house this morning.  I don’t hear anything yet so I hope they make it.  Vic stayed with Emmet last night – I think Betty is due back today.  Gotta love Vic – she does it all.

Later

The dad

Waiting to leave here

March 7, 2008 by admin 

Just sitting here waiting for the Mike to pick us up for the airport.  The plane does not leave for several hours, but the pained looks I am getting from my dogs, who do understand that they aren’t going…well it makes me sad.  They will be fine, and the kids that are staying here are looking forward to being here.  I just hope the girls behave for Nick and Bridgette. 

The temperature is only 26 here this morning.  Hopefully by late tonight we will have some warm warm warm.  That will be good.  The Moore’s, Lovato’s and the Ryan families are not leaving until tomorrow.  The Murphy’s arrive on Sunday.  Ship sails at 5:00 pm or so.  I am praying for sunny skies.  I looked at the Miami forecast and it could be raining.  Oh well……

Well tata.. 

The mom

Science Fair pics

February 1, 2008 by admin 

Stevie won first place at the science fair today.  New pictures in the gallery, in the Lovatos family picts. 

Steve ventured to Las Vegas today and the wind quit blowing, I am sure one does not have anything to do with the other.  Sister and I went to the Elks club for a delicious prime and listened to brother sing with his group and watched the dancers.  Kind of a fun evening.

Well bed time for me, no wind no snow yet, not sure what will happen by morning.  Supposed to be snow. 

Good evening.

___vickie

This is a test

January 28, 2008 by admin 

Think I fixed it Mike…. I am testing now..  Hope it works.

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