Merry Christmas from the Houstons!

Lee and I woke up to snow on the the 23 of December. Winter has arrived!

This is a view of from the deck. It was so pretty outside. I hope it stays till Christmas.

Lee and his fish in Puerto Vallarta

Lee and I enjoying dinner and the view of the bay in Puerto Vallarta.

I know it has been over a month since I last added a note. Sorry about that, but we have been soooo busy. Lee and Sam were hunting the week before Thanksgiving with our friend Eric and his son Steven for the elusive Elk. The elk were lucky this year and will live to see another spring, but lots of camp fires and male bonding went on. On the 30th of November Lee and I caught the big bird in the sky and flew to Puerto Vallarta for two weeks. We had a great time, Lee went fishing a couple of times and caught a Darado the first trip ( great eating fish ) and a Tuna type fish the second time. We spent the mornings out in the kayak on the bay looking at Dolphin and even saw a giant turtle one morning. Lots of sun time for Lee and just enjoying the nice weather not to mention lots of Great food!! We arrived home on the 13th of December and on the 14th Nana was off to Sam and Shannon's to help with the boys. Shannon had surgery and has been unable to lift them. Nana is in Heaven!! I wish that I had just a portion of the energy that the little ones have. We will be spending Christmas with Sam and Shannon and the boys. Wyatt is rolling over and sits up by himself for a little bit at a time now. Porter is jabbering like a mag pie and is repeating lots of words. ( We adults have to watch what we say now!) Big news from Montana. Clint and Tanya are expecting a new baby in June!!! They should find out what they are having soon. Dane is growing up fast and talking lots also. Well, that's about all for now. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Fall is upon us!!!

Well, I know it has been awhile again since I have written on the blog. We have been busy enjoying the fall. It was so nice to have Sam,Shannon,Clint, Tanya and all the little boys together in Montana for a few days. We were able (or rather Lee was able) to help Clint with a driveway project while we were there. The little boys had a good time getting to know one another, and the parents and grandparents truly enjoyed seeing them interact together. We had good weather there. It was cold with a little snow but hunting was good and now we have meat for the winter. Lee and I came home and ground up 25lbs of breakfast sausage from the deer. Boy did it turn out good. Sam and Lee are off next week to go elk hunting for a week. We have had some new snow in the mountains and it should bring the critters down the mountain some. I will be keeping the home fires burning. That's about it for now. Take care.Dane is superman for Halloween

Porter and Wyatt that tiny little baby is no more.

Porter is Superman for Halloween

Lee and Clint working on the cement that was poured while we were in Montana

This is the beginning of the cement project

Dane and Porter playing.

Boys will be boys

The Houston men

On the road again

Clint shot this doe on the River property at first light!

Hi Everyone, Yes we are on the road again in Montana. We left home on the 19th of Oct and arrived at Clint and Tanya's on the 21st. We had a good trip over the mountains without any snow!!!! We spent one extra night at a very pretty campground. (pictured below) We saw a large heard of Rocky Mountain big horn sheep right off the road on our way over. Sam,Shannon and the boys joined us on Friday afternoon and boy was it wonderful having everyone together. The boys were up early on Sunday morning, along with Tanya and all went hunting. Success was the theme for the day. They came home with one doe and one buck. Lee is going hunting with Clint tomorrow to try for his deer. So much for now. below are a few pictures that we have so far. More to come later.

This is were we camped over night. It was a beautiful spot.Here are a few of the sheep we saw.

Tanya shot this nice buck below the bluff after lunch.

October and we have already had snow!!!!!

River Otters on the bank of the Sandy River eating a salmon head. There was a family of 5 thereOur friend Eric Moroney and his Chinook on the Columbia River.
Lee with a mornings catch on the Sandy River.

A nice fish on the Sandy River

This Chinook was caught off the mouth of the Sandy River the 1st of September. I had the best of intentions to up date the blog before now but it just didn't happen. So here goes the latest on the Houstons traveling road show. Lee had a good time fishing on the Sandy river, but came home about 2 weeks early because of the rain in Sandy ( you know it never rains in Prineville). Lee caught some real nice fish on the Columbia and Sandy rivers. I will include a few pictures. We now have enough omega 3 fatty acids to get us thru till next fall. Riley is glad to be home laying on the warm asphalt in the driveway. He did love swimming in the ocean with his friend Suzy Q when we were at the beach. Last Sunday winter decided to show us that it is just around the corner. Sam and Shannon in Bend had about 4 inches of snow and we had a dusting with flurries off and on in the morning hours. Today it is 64 so we are out enjoying the sunshine. Our garden is now finished and it is time to dig up and pull out all the left over veggies that froze. We had a pretty good garden this year. I am already thinking about what we are going to plant next year. We are still working on the pavers and it looks like that project may not get done until next spring. Lee did get the garden planter finished and now all I have to do is get the dirt to fill it. We are off to Montana in about a week to see the kids and Sam and Shannon and the boys are joining us there. We are soooo excited because it has been about 4 years since we have all been together at one time. I will post lots of pictures after our visit. Well, that's about it for now. Hope everyone is have a good fall.

The Pictures are finally available.

Dane the little fisherman, checking out the catch.

Dane and Tonya checking out a snipe. Dane thinks this is ok business!

Shannon and Porter decorating a cookie at the fair. Combat fishing at buoy ten. Not my cup of tea but we did get one fish that day.

Cleaning and cracking crab. I'm glad I don't get paid by the hour. Riley is waiting for a bite.

Crabbing at Netarts Bay with Hal and Ellie

Lee and I at Astoriaone mornings catch at Astoria. It was a great morning!

Hi Everyone

I am going to try to down load some of the fish pictures and a couple of the grandsons of course! Winter is trying to sneak in, it was 33 degrees here two days ago but it is suppose to be 90 degrees on the weekend. I'm home and Lee is still fishing on the Sandy River. He said that today when he was out at the mouth of the Sandy, the river was just full of fish going up. The most that he has seen in 33 years on the river. It sould be a bang up season. I am going to have to go north and see if I can catch a few. I spent Sunday nite and Monday with Sam, Shannon, and the boys. Porter is now able to say Nana! It just melts my heart. Wyatt is a little chunk, I can't believe how much he has grown in 3 weeks. Clint and Tanya have been busy working in their yard and doing a little fishing and snipe hunting when time permits. Can't wait to see them in Oct. As you can tell I had a little problem moving the pictures down the page. Hope you enjoyed them.

We have been busy!!!

Boy, where does the time go. It has been a month since I have posted. Seems like just yesterday! The first of Aug. Lee and I did fair set up for Crook County and then went with Shannon, Porter and Wyatt to the fair. What a good time we had. Porter just loved the animals and the cookie that he got to decorate and then of course eat!!!

I spent a couple of days in Portland with my folks on the 14th and 15th of Aug and then Lee came to town and we left my car and took off in the camper and trailer to go to Astoria to stay with my brother Harley and wife Toni for 5 wonderful days. Thank you Harley and Toni for having us!!!. The fishing was kind of slow for us the first 3 days. Only 2 fish in the boat but on the 4th day Lee and I had our 4 fish and were back on the dock by 10am!!!! Pictures to follow.

We are now in Pacific City and our friends Hal and Ellie from California are here at the Thousand Trails RV park and we are crabbing. The crabbing has been slow only 27 crab for 3 days of crabbing, but the weather and the company is wonderful.
Looks like no pictures for now. I must be doing something wrong. SOOOOOO I will try when I get home to send them. Hope all is going well with everyone. I promise not to wait another month before I send. Lee, Sheri and Riley

JULY 26th ALREADY !!!!!!

Summer is half over and it seems like yesterday was the end of May and we were planting a garden. As you can see from the pictures below the pack rat (or so we think it was) got into the garden and ate all my cucumbers plants and all!!! They also just ate the tops of the onions and the squash leaves. We had had several zucchini already and some tomatoes. We put out a surprise for the little critter night before last and he wasn't back last night. Hope his friends don't show up!!!

It has been pretty hot over here. In the 90's almost everyday. Lee and I have been getting out early in the morning working on outside jobs for about 4 hrs and then into the cool house we go. Lee has been working on the stone retaining wall and I have been digging holes to plant Russian Sage plants in. The holes don't look to big but it is almost all rock that had to be dug with a pick. It took me about an hour for each hole. I hope the plants appreciate! We are going to put a large stone flower box in the middle where you see the gravel and then 4 sage plants on each side. As you can see from the picture from this year a only a year old they have really grown and give lots of color to the area. (the big bonus is that the deer don't like them)

Pavers will go down the side of the house starting between the two large rocks curve to the deck.

My garden planter will go where the gravel is spread out in front of the deck.

This is the Russian Sage that is only a year old. It adds lots of color.This picture shows where the flower planter is going to be and on each side 4 sage plants.Boy that hole doesn't look like it is 3 feet deep by 3 feet wide. We have lots of rock if anyone is in need of any.

I had a nice visit with my folks in Portland and will see them again next month. Tanya and Dane are off tomorrow on the big bird in the sky. They are flying to the east coast to visit with her sister and family for a week. Tanya, have a great time!!! That's about it for now. Wishing everyone a good week.

Hi again, this may be a duplicate of the last post but I can't find it on the blog. Go figure! We have been busy with 4th of July picnic which we really enjoyed with friends up at the lake. Last week we were dog sitting for our neighbor and boy was it hot!!! Over 90 everyday. Shannon and the boys came for a visit and we had a great time at the lake. Lee and I are doing jobs around the house. I am off to Portland on Monday for a few days. Happy summer to everyone.
Hugs, Sheri, Lee and Riley

Wyatt 1 month old. 9lbs 15 oz. he is taking after his brother;

Porter isn't to sure about the water. Grandpa is trying to convince him it is OK.Porter is now feeling much better about the sand and water!!Typical boy now everyone gets wet. Freedom at last!!!
Lee is doing the shakes on the house for the LAST time. With age comes wisdom???Back to short hair again. Been there done that.

Fisherman's Home Again

Well, things are getting back to normal. Lee is back from fishing in Astoria. Wyatt is settling in and Porter is adjusting well. This weekend is the big Crooked River Round Up Rodeo and parade down main street. The garden is growing good and the sun is shinning. What more could we ask for???

Lee and Riley had a good time fishing, catching 3 sturgeon for our freezer. Our nephew Jed also caught a fish when he was out with Lee. Catching has been kind of slow this year.

Riley enjoyed going out in the morning and seeing the sunrise but soon after that he had to take his morning nap. Such a rough life!!!

Lee hadn't seen Wyatt yet so last night we joined Sam and Shannon for dinner and a visit with the little guys. Wyatt has changed in just the last 3 days, they grow so fast. Porter is doing fine with the new addition to his life.

Right now Porter has his car to keep him busy. Honest, Dad I wasn't speeding!!!That's about all for now. Happy summer everyone!!!