June 2008

I'm not quite sure where May went. It seemed it was just starting and then it was over. We have been in Montana for exactly a year! The time has gone by so fast and it seems like we've always been here. Well, maybe not always. I do miss the wine festivals and I know Rocky does miss teaching, but Montana has been good to us this past year and we are here to stay!

We drove back to SD for Memorial Day weekend. Rocky sits on the advisory board for SDSU's journalism school, so he spent Friday in Brookings. Maggie and I spent time with Grandma Alana and visited Uncle Ardie, Aunt Jeanne and Great Grandma Alberta. Maggie enjoyed spending time with Uncle Ardie in his backyard and even tried some rhubarb. Arden told me that he would cut some peonies from his garden that came from Granddad Gilbert's. I wanted to plant peonies in the backyard anyway and it will be nice to have some "Gilbert Heirloom." It was a nice enough day that we were able to go outside a bit at the nursing home. Grandma is in the secured unit now and they have a dog -- an old Lab I think. He was very gentle, but seemed to love having a little girl pay attention to him (I think Great Grandma enjoyed watching that)! Maggie ran about the backyard and picked dandelions for everyone. When it got a little chilly, she tried to get everyone involved in a domino game and do a couple of puzzles. That evening, we spent some time at Aunt Natalie's house and saw brand new cousins Kinsley and Parker. Maggie was not impressed and was much happier when her older cousins arrived to play with. Maggie did not want me holding either baby for very long and told me to put Parker in the swing ("Baby in the swing!")

The next day we drove to Sioux Falls and spent time with Aunt Holly, cousins Jada and Jeffery and my friend Kristy and her boys at the zoo. Maggie loves animals. She did ask to see the elephant and "hip-it-to-potomus", but seemed pleased with the animals we DID see. Since returning home, she has asked to see the giraffe several times.

Maggie spent most of Sunday jumping on the trampoline! "I jumping!" She didn't care who jumped with her. Taylor and Maggie put on a show (Here's Maggie! Here's Taylor!), which consisted of Taylor dancing and Maggie jumping. She really enjoyed jumping with Delany and Amy who would hold her hands and help her jump really high.

Our yard is finally getting worked on! There has been so much rain in Billings that it's taken awhile and there have been a few days where no work could be done. The sprinkler is in in the front yard and the landscaper is working on the edging. He's planted several bushes, most I recognize on sight, but not on name, though he did plant miniature burning bush and a lilac! The backyard is still in trenches, but Maggie enjoys jumping over the trenches. There is still plenty of moisture in the soil (and it is raining right now!!), so we shouldn't have to use the sprinkers for a few weeks!!