McCall musings . . .

Here are a few pictures from our overnighter at Ponderosa State Park, located in McCall, Idaho.  What a great place to camp!  It was beautiful.  Our camping spot was less than a 5 minute walk to Payette Lake.  Eric and the girls were exploring trails near the water when they came across an abandoned church camp.  That is where the picture of the deer was taken.  There were 3 hanging out around the cabins.  A few hours later, we observed 3 deer walking through the campsite across the road from our camper.  They were clearly not shy around people.  We were also visited by chipmunks.   

We were able to roast marshmallows this trip and that really pleased Katy and Emma.  I lost count of how many they ate, but I am sure it was more than they should have!  Eric and I were excited to finally introduce the girls to the magic of JiffyPop.  We had a fun watching them try to figure out what it was Eric was cooking over the gas stove.  It really is "As fun to eat as it is to cook!"

On Sunday morning we headed down to the visitor's center to check out "Paddle Day."  It was a demo day for kayak and canoe retailers.  If you signed a release, they let you take a kayak for a spin on the lake.  I do not have "sea" legs, so I took a pass.  Eric signed himself up along with Katy and Emma.  They put on the required life jackets and had a little fun on the water.  Eric tried out a tandem kayak with each of the girls.  He then found a canoe and they all paddled out together.  While it looked like fun, I maintained my post as picture taker and finder-of-a-good-place-to-eat-a-burger.  All I had to do was ask an outdoorsy looking local, so my job was easy!   Once the three wet Hilburn's changed into dry clothes, we drove into McCall and had ourselves some pretty tasty cheeseburgers and fries.  It cost us over $30, but it was well worth it.  

We are already trying to work Ponderosa Park into our schedule later this summer.  There was so much more to explore and we are looking forward to staying more than one night next trip!   

Cabin Fever!

Katy was involved in a day camp at a literary center here in Boise last week.  She spent 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, writing with a group of 4th-6th graders and a local writer.  She really loved it.  Her group was called "Curiosity City."  The group walked around downtown Boise and wrote about what they saw in the city.  At the end of the week, a "reading" was held for the students and their families.  Each child had chosen a piece of their work to read aloud.  The event was called "Words in the Air."  We were able to attend with Kem and Etta, as they were in town visiting for the weekend.  Katy's friend, Gabby, was also in attendance.  She was at the same camp and was there to read her poem.  Anyway, I have to tell you, Katy's work amazed me!  Actually, all of the students amazed me, but I am here to brag about Katy!  I am so impressed with what she can do with a little guidance.  The reason I am letting you know this is that we received an e-mail today letting us know that the Cabin published the poem that Katy read aloud last Saturday to their website.  Click on the link and scroll down to see her name.  I really think you will like it!     

Swimming Lessons

Katy, Emma and I spent 3 hours at the pool yesterday.  It was the end of the first session of swim lessons.  That meant 30 minutes of riding down the waterslide.  Woo Hoo!  Popsicles were made available and all was good with the world.  

Katy has officially graduated out of regular swim lessons.  She really just needs to work on her diving and endurance.  She signed up for "Intro to synchronized swimming" today.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  One of her good friends started the class last year and loves it.  I'll keep you posted. 

 Emma was told by her instructor that she was "by far one of the hardest working, determined swimmer in our class." She passed all of the key items, but her endurance is not quite there.  She needs a little help at the end of a swim so we signed her up for another round.  It was fun to watch and listen to Emma in class.  She kept telling her instructor not to catch her when she jumped off the diving board.  She wanted to do that on her own!  He had to help her to the side, but I can only guess that she must just love that feeling of dropping in the water.  He is right-she is one determined girl.  I am looking forward to watching her progress this summer.     

Not so "Bleak" house. . .finally!

I think I am finally getting better!!!!!  I spent a few weeks looking and feeling like "warmed-over death."  That is what Eric called me!  I am sure that I had pneumonia.  I guess there are 2 kinds, bacterial and viral.  I had the viral kind.  That is the one where you nearly cough up your lungs for 2 weeks, sport a fever for about the same amount of time and feel about as strong as a wet noodle.  I guess with the bacterial version, you cough up green stuff and have intestinal difficulties.  Lucky for me, I did not have those symptoms.  I went to my doctor twice.  He gave me the cough syrup with codeine and said to drink a lot of liquids and get a lot of rest.  The cough syrup didn't touch me, I drank as much water and McDonald's sweet tea as I could but I just could not swing the "rest."  My coughing kept me up at night.  I took to sleeping on the couch, trying the sitting position.  Thankfully, Katy and Emma were in a few day camps.  That gave me an hour or two to try to keep my eyes closed.  They had to watch a few movies over the course of a few afternoons while I continued on my quest for rest.  They really were very good during this crazy start to their summer.   Eric helped out by sleeping out in the camper a few night so I could have the bed.  He slept uninterrupted and I was able to cough uncontrollably.  It was marital bliss, really!   

  

But, hey, all good things must come to an end.  I have not had a fever since Monday morning and have been able to give up my every 4 hour Tylenol habit.  We have been to the zoo, the art museum and Target.  It feels so nice to only cough once or twice an hour.  I am sleeping through the night and Eric has moved his pillow back into the house!   We are now gearing up for an overnight in McCall this weekend.  Let's hope my coughing stays under control.  I am not sure where the rest of the family would have to sleep if they can't take the noise!   

   

Happy Father's Day, Eric!!

Happy Fathers Day, Daddy!  We hope you have a good one.  We think you are the best Dad in the universe!  We love you!  Katy & Emma.

 

A note from me to let you know that you are an incredible Dad!  I appreciate all that you do for us.  You are such a good example for the girls.  They know you as a loving, caring, be-there-for-them always kind of guy.  I could not do this thing we call life without you by my side.  Thank you!  XOXOXO

Happy Father's Day to all of the Dad's in our life.  We love you all!  Hope you have a good one. Check out this comic strip.  It sums up Eric's day!       

Happy Birthday Papa!!!

A Happy Birthday from your Idaho girls.  We hope you have a fantastic day.  We can't wait to see you in August.  We love you!   Katy & Emma

Happy Birthday, Dad!  Love you lots!  

Life without TV update . . .

It has been nearly a week since the "digital transition" took place at our house.  As we suspected, we only receive a few channels.  We have 2 NBC stations, 2 CW stations and 2 FOX stations.  Eric climbed up to the roof a few times and moved our antenna several different directions.  (He did not fall off of the roof therefore I never did have that heart attack I was expecting!)  He found the NBC stations and that made us very happy.  I encouraged Eric to call the "Wireguys" again and actually have them come to our house and assess it in person.  This because Eric was considering a round of purchasing various outdoor antennas and seeing which one worked best, by himself!  He kindly called the guy back and arranged a visit.

  

Well, the verdict is in and it cost me $35.00!  The guy drove up, looked at Eric, looked at the hill near our house and proclaimed "It doesn't look good!"  He opened up a new antenna, went up on the house, aimed it in that "magic" direction and then officially announced that we were really out of luck.  Cable is our only hope and we are just not ready to go there.  The Hilburn's will not have "real" TV anytime in the near future.  So, if you are planning a trip to our house soon, please be prepared to tell stories, sing karaoke, dance or play a mean lick on the "guitar" to keep us entertained.  

If not, we might just have to get out and enjoy this beautiful city we live in!   

Alas, poor TV, I knew you . . .

As of Friday, June 12, this Panasonic picture of beauty will be obsolete.  Don't think we have not tried to save it!  Eric ordered the coupon, purchased the converter box, tried to hook it up, got nothing. Bought an indoor antenna, hooked it up, found one channel (out of the 23 free available), took it back.  Bought a fancy, more expensive model, hooked it up, found four different channels, took it back.  Tried the company that was advertising on TV.  For a nominal fee, they would install an antenna and get us hooked up.  After they heard our address, they told us we were out of luck.  Not even a new TV would save us.  We are in a "pocket" and the signals will not easily reach our house.

Eric has threatened to go up on the roof and try to "aim" our old antenna into the path of the new signals.  He has faith that with him on the roof and myself at the converter box, we will be able to "channel" the channels.  Me, well I just think I will have a heart attack waiting for him to fall off of the roof.   

We had to break it to Katy and Emma.  They had heard about the digital conversion. They knew about all the options.  We told them that we are too cheap to pay for cable. (Seriously, there is nothing of great value to be seen out there as far as Eric and I are concerned.)  They took it better than expected.  They have friends that live without TV channels and those girls have survived.  It was also brought to our attention, by Katy and Emma, that we could still watch movies and play Guitar Hero and SingStar!  Thank goodness!      

I will be the one who misses the few channels we have the most.  I love PBS!  If we were able to receive the new digital signals, we would have access to 4 different PBS stations.  That would be heaven!  Think of all the cooking shows I could marvel at; the travel programs that would make me long for far away destinations; the Jane Austen marathons on Masterpiece!  Oh, the horrors!  Whatever will I do?

In the meantime, I have my memories.  The last "Friends", the last "ER", the Academy Awards, Masterpiece Theater, "As Time Goes By", "Teletubbies", "Sesame Street", "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood", Saturday morning cartoons, the list goes on!  

"Parting is such sweet sorrow. . ."

On another note, check out the new picture of our house at the top of the blog.  The grass is green, the flowers are in bloom and the girls are cute!  We have lived here for nearly 12 years and I truly love this little house.  As the saying goes, "Home is where you hang your heart!"    

Just a few pictures . . .

Katy and Emma have had a few activities to attend in the last week or so.  They seem to have busy social calendars, more so than Eric and I have ever had!!!  

One picture is from the year-end bowling/pizza party for the Girl Scout Daisy troop that Emma was involved with at Adams Elementary.  They earned enough money to give to charity and have a party.  It was a fun group of girls to get to know and they had a great time at the bowling alley!  

Katy and Emma went to the annual sock hop at school.  It is not my favorite activity, but they absolutely love, love, love it!  The girls still fit into the poodle skirts I made 3 years ago.The event is free, so that makes it much more bearable.  They have hula hoop contests and this year they added a local band. The band is almost entirely made up of students from Adams. That was the cause of some great excitement.  Anyway, the dance is always a big hit at the Hilburn house.  

One activity that Katy was involved in with her 4th grade class was "making" a wax museum. The students had to pick a person that had made an impact on history. They could have been native to our state or currently residing in Idaho or lived in Idaho during the time that they did something "great."  Katy had to pick a person and then research and write a one minute speech about the contributions made by the person she choose.  They also had to dress the part for the presentation.  Katy chose an opera singer named Carole Farley.  She attended high school in Moscow, Idaho and went on to debut at the Met when she was 19 years old.  We had a lot of fun getting the costume together.  The wig was Katy's favorite.  At school, Katy student stood silently in costume while holding up her hand to act as the button.  Once we pushed the "button," Katy entertained us with her speech about Ms. Farley's accomplishments.  Katy did a great job and looked pretty fabulous!   She was also lucky enough to be able to contact Ms. Farley through e-mail.  Katy received a sweet note from the singer and an invitation to send a photo of Katy all dressed up!  We hope to get that sent this weekend.   

The photo of the dog is from the Humane Society.  For Katy's birthday party, she wanted to go to dinner with her two best friends and then walk dogs at the shelter.  We were finally able to go last Friday after school.  Dinner was great, but I think they had more fun at the shelter.  "Joe", the dog in the photo, was one they really enjoyed.  He did not look as though he had ever missed a meal! He howled for us several times.  It was pretty funny.   The girls also wandered through the cat section.  They were able to hold several kittens and admire many other beautiful cats.  We did not come home with any new pets, though.  Whew!!!