So, We went to FL...

So, we went to Florida the end of June to take Grandma's china to Colleen in St Petersburg, my only sister. We drove to Albuquerque the first day, passing some great views in Southern Utah and Northwestern New Mexico, including Shiprock.

In Farmington, NM, we found this and had a good laugh...

We were kind excited to go through Roswell, NM [y'know, aliens and all that]. Several miles north of town, we found

this..

Seems you have to pay for the tour in order to see the actual site. We got to town and expected to see the whole "aliens were here" thing, but didn't find any trace of it. There are about 3 stores in the center of town that sell tourist stuff, BUT THAT"S IT!!! Nothing!! Nada!! A'din!!! Needless to say, we were disappointed. I guess they're trying to change their rep.

We made it through the rest of NM (Melinda says it's barren, I enjoyed it ) and stayed the night in San Antonio; the most haunted place in all TX (according to the hotel there). We then spent a day in Houston with Allie, JJ and Jace.

It took FOREVER to get across TX the following day. We stayed in Tallahassee, FL, the next night, passing though LA, MS, and AL. We made a couple of wrong turns in Baton Rouge and saw parts of the city we didn't intend to, and it took us a while to find our hotel in Tallahassee.

Much of the trip along the Gulf Coast looked like this...

tree lined I-10 and state highways. Even though we were right along the Gulf Coast, we couldn't see the ocean itself.

When we were near New Orleans, you could see how Katrina just snapped trees off midway up the trunk

We went past a shipyard in Mobile, AL, complete with what looked to us to be a battleship in the dock.

We finally arrived in St Petersburg on the 24th, after battling stoplights and traffic for about 4 hours (we could've taken I-10, but wanted to be closer to the Gulf Coast), and getting pounded with rain so hard we couldn't see road signs.

The next day, my sister, Colleen, took us for brunch at the Seahorse on her favorite beach; this is Colleen with the two of us in front of the restaurant...

Colleen and I got to walk on the beach and find seashells

This is Colleen and Grandma Brown in the Seahorse...

Colleen's husband, Dennis, owns a restaurant in St Pete called "Valentino's"; they make the very best lasagne I've ever had -

Colleen showed us a lot of St Pete while we were there; here's some shot the evening we went downtown to get gelato...

We also went to the Aquarium, but that's for another day...

Thomas Russel Arevalo

Speaking of births, just before Christmas, Thomas Russel Arevalo arrived [Dec'18 2007]. He's kind of sleepy-eyed and already needs a haircut (but we love the hair). Josh and Katie love him; sometimes too much, maybe...

Tommy's almost 7 months old now.

Sadie's here!! [was here...]

Sadie Corrine Hobbs was born April 15, 2008 at 10.00am in Surprise, AZ; she was 8 lbs 2 oz, 20" long. Here are some pics we have, more can be found on Becki's blog.
Sadie's already one-plus months old and is doing fine, as is Beckie 

[though she'll probably kill me for putting this photo on]. Sorry, Hon! Love you!!

The other three also got into the act, with some help from Nana:

Beckie

I've been waiting to update the site until I could put everything that has happened into perspective; as a result, nothing's been updated.

I realized Life, as they say, is what happens when you're making other plans; and life is what's happening today. Beckie, our oldest, is giving birth to another daughter today in Surprise, AZ. Caleb & Beckie plan to name her Sadie Corinne Hobbs. Soon, another life will be among us, joining so many more who will be born today throughout the world. This one little life, though, will impact our family is ways only we can tell.

So, I've realized life needs to be marked daily, for all the seemingly small things that happen that may eventually impact us all in surprising ways.

Thinking of you today, Beckie.
All our love.

Samuel Henry Lloyd

Emily went into labor around 2am this morning; or, at least, went to the hospital. We got a call just before 6am letting us know she and Craig were at LDS Hospital. I later found we'd been sent a text message about 2:30am.

This is Samuel Henry Lloyd; born 10:08am this day, 8 lbs 2oz, 20", at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT. Mother, baby, and Dad are all doing well, save they all need some sleep.

He very much reminds me of Emily when she was born.

Welcome, Sam. We love you already.

Mother Hobbs & the Hobbettes

I promised I would put up a photo of Beckie, our oldest & wisest, and the Hobbettes, so... here they are, minus Dad [who was working]. They are a traveling bunch, having lived in several places around the country. The little Hobbettes are pretty good at it.

I haven't added ANYTHING...

So... I'm sitting here thinking, "I haven't posted ANYTHING to our blog, and it's been 2 years now." [well... maybe not ten years; maybe a month or so] I feel really bad about it. So I'm adding things now, and will add some more late tonight.

Melinda's out-of-town visiting with Beckie and Caleb and kids, Hannah, Ethan, and Jared [Beckie's our oldest and wisest daughter] in AZ. Jared just had a birthday yesterday; 2 years old. He has the funniest laugh!! It kind of reminds me of the T-Rex on the animated movie I wanted to see, but didn't ["I have a big head and these little arms..."]. It's been nearly the same temp in AZ as SLC, but twice as humid (!!??!); go figure. Monsoon season; oh, how I miss it!

So, early this a.m., Melinda gets on a plane and leaves Sky Harbor Airport in PHX, on her way to Houston to see Allie, JJ, and Jace. I didn't have any pictures on this machine of Beckie and family, but I do have one of Jace

I'll have to add other photos tonight.

Well, must go for now. Jessi, our 2nd oldest, and wisest daughter, is cooking tonight [more about her later], and Emily, our 3rd oldest, and wisest daughter is also coming with her family [more on her later].

It's good to be alive...