New Blog Site

From now on I will be posting everything on one family blog:

http://craneandandersonfamilynews.blogspot.com/

Please save this link and check back often. I am hoping to post once a week. I'm finding it too hard to post on two different places. Well, really three as I am still keeping the birding and garden blog: http://www.plymouthgardens.blogspot.com/

You will have to plow through a bunch of Anderson stuff also but you will find out more about what your dad is doing too!! Thanks for your understanding!!! Make sure you leave comments so I know you have seen it!!
Love to you all.
Maggie

Jared & Shannen's Visit

For those of you that don't read my other blog, http://craneandandersonfamilynews.blogspot.com/ this is what I wrote today. I think I am going to combine the two blogs so I might get one done more often! I will save this one on the web so we don't lose all the pictures etc. Just change the favorites link from the Crane family to the Crane and Anderson family. You will get more information this way about what your dad is up to!! Thanks.
Shannen came into town with her mom to see Wicked, again. I know, I know, we who are not crazy about musicals will wonder why when they have already seen it would they see it again. Ah, it is not for us to understand these things just to accept them!! Shannen did say it was even better than the production that they saw first so I guess it was worth it. Hey, what can I say when I will sit and watch Back to the Future movies on TV every time they come on!!! All three of them. Jared didn't want to go so he flew in a couple days later. It is so tough being a working stiff, you don't get to take fun vacations every time you want to!!

Paul and I drove out to pick up the kids from their Grandpa's home in Lancaster so they could spend a couple of days with us. Shannen had to fly home on Saturday morning to be in her play. Very sadly on Friday soon after we picked them up their Grandpa died. He had been sick for awhile and it wasn't unexpected but of course very sad for all the family. I had enjoyed talking to him the few times I had met him.

We had a great time with the kids and they did a lot of "memory lane" types of things while they were here. First off they had to have Daddy's famous sandwiches. They are ham and cheese sandwiches that he always used to make them when they were young. Shannen says she tries to make them at home but they never taste the same. Just not the same touch of love in it!! Then we went to see the Simpson's Movie. I guess that is a show they would always watch with their dad. All three of them loved it, me I got through it!! What can I say, I just have no taste!! At night they made and scarfed down the chocolate chip cookies.

Cookies!!!! Give me Cookies!!

Shannen spent a lot of time on the phone talking to her fellow players finding out how the first performance went. She was happy to be here with her dad but she really wanted to be at the play too!

"So tell me, are you nervous? Who is doing our makeup? What do you mean they changed to last dance? I don't even know it now!! How am I going to learn it? etc. etc. "

I have been very slowly making garb for Shannen to wear when she goes to a SCA Event with Darcy and Scott. I have finished all but the vest in this picture. I haven't even touched it since she left but hopefully I will finish it this next week!! I said Hopefully. The green looked great with her pale skin and red hair. She loves her red hair!!

It was a wonderful visit even if it was short. Here are the three Cranes.

This takes us to Saturday morning when Paul took Shannen down to LAX to fly home and my next post will cover the afternoon and the extra special celebration we went to.

(Click any of the pictures to enlarge)

And Now We Are Nine!!

We now have Nine Grandchildren!!!!

Paul and Julia welcomed Audrey Crane into the world on Sunday February 18, 2007 @ 12:30 pm.

From what we have heard everything went great and mother and baby are healthy and happy. We are so excited and luckily Julia and Paul are sending pictures so we can see how precious she is.

Audrey Crane

Noey and Audrey

Spencer and Audrey

Lila and Audrey

Beardsley's 1st Birthday!!

Beardsley One Year Old

We had a great day on February 10th celebrating his first birthday. We took him over to the Conejo Botanic Garden in the afternoon for a fun filled romp. It was getting a little warm for him so he spent the last part of the walk looking for places to sit in the shade.

Here he is after digging in the damp dirt under the seat. He thought that was great fun.

A couple pictures of the proud "parents" with their little boy. This is at the top of the Gardens.

In the evening we had a little party for him. I looked for a doggy cupcake but couldn't find one so settled on one of his favorite foods, cheese. He got a new little toy, a Mailman that he thought was great.

As you can see he wasn't real happy to wear his Birthday Hat!!


This last picture is of both my men up at the top of the hill with their tongues hanging out!!! Aren't they soooo cute?

Winter in Southern California

As you might know we are having a cold spell here in Southern California. Mind you it is nothing like the rest of the country but for us it is BIG news!! We have had two nights of freezing weather and it has only warmed up to 45 during the day. Oh my that is cold for us!! When Paul went out walking this morning at 5 am it was only 27 degrees. Me, I skipped my morning walk and because there are football games on now I think poor Beardsley is going to have to skip his today too. Sorry Beards.
Yesterday morning I got a couple of pictures of the frozen fountains. They haven't thawed out for two days now.
The timer on the fountain in the backyard was never changed as the days got shorter so it comes on fairly early. Yesterday morning it was still freezing out when it came on so the water was freezing as it was bubbling down the ball on top.


I took the ice out of one of the bird baths to show how deep it had frozen. Beardsley thought it was great!

After a couple of hours of the fountain in the front running the water had drilled holes in the ice where ever it hit the bottom ice. This morning we turned off the fountains as they were so frozen they didn't come on at all. Not enough water could get to the pump!!


I will leave you with one more picture of my very spoiled but very wonderful little boy, Beardsley. As you can see we are letting his fur grow out for the winter. Think he likes it much better this way!

Roxy in Carmel

I am adding the pictures that we just received from Heather and John of their new dog, Roxy!! What a cutie! I can't wait to met her. I'm sure she has a lot more energy then our little lazy dog! (maggie)

"This is Roxy our new 10 week old aussie. We drove to San Diego to get her 2 days before Evan's birthday. She is a wonderful and very busy addition to our family. We can't wait for her to meet Beardsley! Much love to you all. Heather"

Tuesday Afteroon

So, there I was sitting out back on the patio talking to our new medical insurance company. Beardsley is running around on the grass, the birds are singing and everything was "good". I mean I even had got through to a real live person at the insurance company and she was getting all the things taken care of and giving me all the information I needed!! I mean how great is that!Then the world shifted. All of a sudden Beardsley started to yelp in pain. I looked over at him and he is on the grass in the middle of the yard with nothing around him but he is yelping in terrible pain!! He kept the yelping up and was in such pain that I had to cut the phone call short. He kept licking his right front paw and I'm holding him, wearing two pairs of reading glasses to see if I can see anything that might be stuck in it, with no luck. I looked around the yard but couldn't find anything that might be the problem either. Then, within 5 minutes he started emptying himself from both ends, getting weak and "depressed" in other words going into shock!! Luckily Paul got home from work right then and we packed him off to the Vets!!Over an hour, almost $200 and one shaved front paw later we were home again. The Vet shot him full of antihistime and cortisone and fluids which made him look like a camel! He must have been stung by a bee and had a very bad reaction. It could have been a spider but I don't think so as he was in the middle of the yard. He wasn't somewhere a black widow would have been. At least that is my thought. Paul did find a black widow the next day making a web on the front door! That would explain the reaction better but I still think it had to be a bee from where he was when it happened. They do fly around the grass some but I would have thought it was late enough in the day and cool enough that they would have gone home but no, it was still out there ready to pick on a little doggy!! Here it is Friday and he still isn't 100% yet. I just took him on his morning walk and I though I was going to have to carry him home. He has no energy yet. I figure the poison must still be working its way though him, or something like that.Ah the pleasures of pet ownership!! He does look funny with his shaved paw! He got to sleep with us that night so he thought that was pretty great! He was drugged up so he didn't move around that much. He did wake up and ask to go outside around 4am so I climbed out of bed, turned on the outside light and took him out. He gets a drink out of the fountain and then smells something and goes around to the patio area out of my line of sight. He comes back a few seconds later acting like he found something great and then trots off again. A second later I hear a growl from him and I take off running. He had found a opposum and was thinking about getting up close and personal with him!! I run over pick him up and dump him back in the house. I could see another trip to the vets to stitch him up and that wasn't going to happen!! Tell me again why I though this would be a good idea? Oh that's right, he is such a love!! I guess he is worth it. Okay, I know he is worth it!This whole thing has me a little worried about what would have happened if I hadn't been home or what might happen if he gets stung when we are traveling and can't get to a Vet for awhile. I was thinking I would just keep the antihistimes with us but this morning I got to wondering if that would work as he would be throwing it up again. Oh me, oh my what's a mother to think?Well, that is the latest news on the Dog front!!

The New Graduate!!

A very tired Beardsley and I just got back from our last Puppy Training Class!! He got his diploma even though he isn't 100% by any stretch! He does fairly well when it is just the two of us but put any distractions and it is all over! He loves playing with the other dogs in the class and when we are there that is all he wants to do. He did learn a lot and I guess more to the point I learned quite a bit that I can keep working with him so he can do it even when we are out and about. I was very pleased with the class and how it was run and the instructor. I had tried to get him into another company but they weren't doing any classes for his age when we wanted them so Petsmart was a second choice but I think it worked out as good as anywhere would have. I plan on signing him up for the next class when we get back from our Utah trip.


I can't say I like the picture but it does show him with his Graduation Cap on!! He wasn't real happy to have the hat on he wanted to chew on it instead of wearing it! Linda, the instructor had little doggy cookies and the Graduation March playing.

Pictures from Alaska

These are some of the pictures that Paul and Julia sent to us last month. Aren't those kids beautiful??


Noey, Spencer and Lila



The House. It is looking great. When we saw it they were still finishing it up. The downstairs is the "basement" area. They build them like that because of the permafrost. I love how it is out in the woods. Of course I might not like it when the bears come calling. Have you guys seen any around the house yet?

Dad with the kids. And the other picture that they sent is Julia that I posted on Sunday.

Happy Birthday Julia!!

I am way behind with posting birthdays!! I am so sorry. I thought I would start with Julia's as it is today, Sunday, July 16. Here is a picture that they us sent last month.
Happy Birthday, Julia !!

and Many, many more.
We love you!!

Beardsley

Beardsley

Well,well; look at what we have done!!! This is the new member of our family!! Our little boy is a black and silver Miniature Schnauzer and is four months old. We picked him up on Friday from a breeder in Palmdale. She also had a 9 week old puppy but we decided on the little older dog.
He is the mellowest puppy I have ever seen! He is already crate trained so he sleeps in his crate at night with only a couple of wimpers when we first put him in. We were expecting lots of whining and barking but it hasn't happened. At least not yet! He isn't housetrained yet so that will be a joy to do.
He will be a small dog, at the small end of the standard which is 12 - 14 inches. Pretty much a lap dog but he should be sturdy enough to do some hiking with us. We will have to work on getting him in shape as I think he might wish to be a little lazy. I know, a good match of us!! They are said to travel well so we hope to be able to take him most places with us.
As you can see his ears are uncropped and we will be keeping them that way. In past years most of the Schnauzers had the cropped ears but more are going with the uncropped look. We like it a lot better. His right ear might need to be taped so it flops down better and he doesn't have one that sticks up and one that flops down. We will wait for another month and see how it goes and then do something if it needs it.




I still can't believe we have a DOG!! For all of you that have heard me say over and over again, I would never have a dog go ahead and make fun of me!! One of these days I will learn never to say never!! I guess it makes the best sense for a animal that we can take with us when we go places. Oh who knows why but there is it, I have a Dog!! Paul has had several dogs over the years so it isn't that big a deal for him like it is for me. He had no problem with getting one and left it up to me whether we did or not. Such a love. I know I would have gotten a new ferret if they were legal in California but that was just something we didn't want to worry about again.


So this is the beginning of a long story of Beardsley and his "keepers". I'm sure there will unending stories to tell until everyone of you wishes they never heard of this dog!! Hopefully all the stories will be happy and funny and none of them sad. He should live for 12-14 years so we will be long retired by then. He could very well be the only dog we ever have so we are going to enjoy him everyday!!


Momma and her baby


Papa and his little boy

Rav4

Guess what we got last week!!! We have sold the van (that's a story for another day)and got the smaller Rav4 instead. We found we weren't using the van for camping so there wasn't much reason in keeping it. We got the Rav4 for several reasons. One of the main ones is the back windows roll down all the way. Okay, it doesn't seem like a big reason but we figure if we have 4 people in it birding it really is a big deal. On the Jeep Steve rented for the Salton Sea birding trip the back windows stopped about 4 inches short of all the way. It was in the way looking across to the otherside of the car and very annoying trying to put my binos and camera out the window.
Anyway, this is a 4x4 so we can go on the dirt roads around lakes etc. It is bigger this year than it has been in the past so it is more comfortable. It should work out great!! We are excited!!



Here is Paul washing it. How long to you think this will last? It's so much fun right at the beginning but then........!!!

Missy

January 1, 2000 to March 1, 2006

Missy lived with us from January 19, 2000 until she died today. She was so tiny when we got Tess and her!! Missy never really did get very big in size but she sure was fisty!! When Bandit came she really gave him a run for his money!! They fought like cats and dogs for about a month and then they became the best of friends. She really missed Bandit after he died. It was hard on her being the last one left and not having another ferret to bond with.

We will really miss her!!!

Jared Is Getting Married!

Jared called his dad last week to tell him his "Big News"! The wedding is planned for the first part of November of this year. Plans are still being made as of right now. They will be living in Utah after they get married. Jared has already moved out there and is living with his mom until he gets settled. We are hoping to met the future wife before the wedding!!
Congrats Jared and Tiffany!!

Ethan & Evan

New pictures from Carmel!! Aren't they just the most handsome kids in the world? Well, them along with all our other grandchildren!!! We have the best grandkids in the world!!

Thanksgiving 2005

Shannen and Jared were able to spend Thanksgiving with us this year. Shannen flew in from her new college of BYU to spend about 5 days with us. It was good to see her again. Jared was off work on Thursday of course so he came down to eat his dad's cooking. Paul cooked a turkey this year. He says it will be his last but we will see. Here he is cooking away!


While Shannen was here we watched a DVD she had over and over again. I thought I would never forget the name of it but guess what!!! Shannen, you will have to tell me again what it was called. Something like the Provo Boys Act Crazy! It was a funny movie the first time but after the hundredth time well...... Shannen had all the words learned by heart! When Jared came the next day it started all over again! I don't think Jared thought it was as special as she did. Here they are watching the movie on her laptop.

Dinner time and all is ready. Lets see, we had turkey,dressing, squash, mashed pototoes and cranberry sauce and maybe something else that I don't remember. Dessert was brownies with frosting. I remember the dessert okay!!


After dinner it was clean up time.


Daddy and his two wonderful kids. Jared, Paul and Shannen
Thanks for a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Birthday Evan!!

Guess who is 6 years old on Wednesday!! Have a happy, happy birthday Evan!! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Shannen!

Shannen will be 18 years old on Friday!

Happy Birthday, Shannen!!!

We love you!!

Lila Rosalie Crane's First Birthday!

Lila is one year old today!!

Monday is a Very Important Day!!

Monday is:
Talk like a Pirate Day!!
Check out the above link to get ready for this very important holiday!!!