Saturday, May 30, 2009

Back to Blogging

This week has been full.
Add VideoI got to see Summer perform in a little singing presentation. She's been practicing after school. The video is blurry, but it shows what a nice singing voice she has.

The weather has been lovely. Marcelle's poppies were in full glory, as was this bush, I think it's called bridal wreath, but I'm not sure. It was so beautiful for about a week, then faded quickly.



Guenther and I worked at the house in West Point from Wednesday through Saturday. In the top photo, he's standing by a pile of branches we've stacked for loading and transporting to the landfill. He also got on the roof (I know...but he insists that "it's nothing to worry about") and hooked up the air conditioner, with a little help from David when he came on Memorial Day.


Lindsay and the kids came over for awhile on Thursday. When I aimed my camera at them, Ema ran over and grabbed Ellyn's hand and posed prettily. I see this as a supreme gesture of love and cooperation, since Ema usually hates to have me take her photo.

The grass under Kai looked 100% better after I mowed it on Monday and again today.

On Memorial Day, David, Tam, and kids, except Jordan, who was driving a semi from Portland to Boise that weekend, and Nancy came and worked some small miracles on the sun room, the garage, and the tricky bar. In this photo Tam, Jen, and Kath are tackling the sun room.

Tam cleaning out a storage area in the garage.


Jen really worked hard. Just kidding...actually she really did work hard. She and Mike went to the landfill with David, and the three of them unloaded this gigantic trailer full of trash. (actually "treasures" but they were doomed to be tossed)



And here you have it...a clean sun room, and a de-cluttered garage.

Mike is big into welding, and he restored the broken bar on the swing set, since the former weld had given up the ghost. I am pleased to see that his grandpa's talent and skill have been passed on to the younger generation.

The other big event for me this week happened on Sunday, when I was sustained as the second counselor in Young Women for our ward. It's been 47 years since I taught the Mia Maids. I was expecting Nancy, and seriously thought about naming her Mia Joy...but the two grandmothers vetoed the idea. I was totally stunned when the Bishopric paid us a visit to extend the call, but after prayerful thought, I'm really excited about it. The YW President is Anne H. with whom I worked on the enrichment committee., and she's really cool. I know that the Lord extends us callings that will be a benefit to us as well as those we serve, and that He will give us all the help we need to succeed.


This is another shot of Summer's program...this song was a little more difficult, but she did a good job.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Sunday night get-together at Jackie's

We had a fun family get-together at Jackie's on Sunday evening. As usual, the food was yummy...I especially loved the spinach-wild rice salad that Jackie made, although everything was yummy. It's great that everybody was there, except for Tiffany and Amalie, both either working or resting from their late night work stints.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

mother's day


Mother's Day was so very nice. I am thinking that Doug might like to see the roses that he ordered delivered to me. I was invited to speak in the Sacrament meetings of our ward and also at the Chateau Brickyard (an assisted living center). I found a really good story on the Church's website. It was in an Ensign years ago and told how a mom discovered that making her prayers for her daughter more specific had "unlocked Heaven." I appreciated the blessing of having virtually all of my family who are in this area attend our sacrament meeting to hear me speak. (Jen and Jord went to a singles' ward..and that's cool also)





Tami is reading aloud a darling picture book that Jen gave to her. .."When My Mom Was Ruining My Life."

Jen and Jordan

Kai is adorable.

Ema and Ellyn are really good at entertaining themselves.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Katherine's Voice Recital

Recently Katherine gave a voice recital for her family and Cameron's family. Here are a few video clips. I have to keep them very short in order for Blogger to load them. The little girl who thoughtfully involved the younger children in activities at family parties has grown into a lovely young woman who is to be married this summer.

The early a.m. log in is because I had a terrible hayfever attack on Saturday night, so I took a Benedryl at bedtime last night. It has the effect of making me very sleepy at first, and then I wake up around 2 a.m. I figured that I might as well get up and do something instead of just lying there unable to sleep.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

temple square in April and "one of life's precious moments"


After we completed our session in the Salt Lake Temple last week, we walked around and took photos of the gorgeous spring flowers.


We stopped by Lindsay's house on Thursday so that we could take a look at the new play yard which they've built. As we drove up the driveway, Ema and Ellyn came running and threw their arms around me as they yelled, "GrammaGreat!" And then Lindsay approached with chunky little Kai. And I was totally thrilled to hear him say..."gamma...gamma."He was grinning like a chipmunk, and he was so proud of himself while he said it. Each time I first hear a little grandchild say "gamma" is precious.