Temple Day

We Went to Gateway

The girls met up at Gateway to do the splash pad.  Then Mary took the kids for a cousin sleepover.  It was fun to watch the kids at the splash pad.  And I even got a new dress and make-up at Nordstrom.

A Day at the Mall with My Girls

Mary came on Wednesday and we went to the mall. I had a coupon for 30% off at the Gap.  I bought each of the girls a cardigan. I love going to the mall with my girls.

Tulip Festival

On Monday Gram and Gramps took us to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point.  They rented a golf cart for me and Gram, and the kids loved it.  At one point all the kids except Myla and Hannah were on the golf cart.  Jenny and Laura pushed the girls in strollers ~ it was a great workout for them.  We had a  lot of fun!

 Myla wanted to hold my hand while strolling

 golf cart

forget-me nots

I love these colors!

and these

Abby!

the kids running

Ayden's Competition

Ayden did a solo in a competition. Laura, Jenny and I went to see him perform.  He was amazing; I just kept thinking about Mary dancing and her son dancing so well.  I was in tears by the end.  It was perfect!
 After we went to dinner with Mary and Laura and the gkiddies at the Old Spaghetti Factory. I actually was able to eat some soup and 2 raviolis, that's a new record for me.  I haven't been able to eat much lately without choking. Thank goodness for the feeding tube!

the spectators

at dinner all around the table

FHE

Mary came to visit for spring break and she made pizza for us for dinner. And Laura prepared FHE, we did a matching game with the General Authorities.

Dr. Suess Birthday

Laura  had a party for Dr. Suess Birthday.  We had green eggs and ham and read Dr. Suess books and made "Cat in the Hat" hats.  Plus it's Laura's half birthday!

Andrew Goes to Hair Day in Layton

Andrew came with us this month to Hair Day in Layton.  He played with Sophie before she went to school and Myla after her nap.  He was just a delightful boy on the whole trip!  We're so glad he came!

The Sibling Gift that Keeps on Giving

This year my children didn't give each other gifts, instead they spent the money they would have spent on sibling gifts, giving $200 dollars in my honor to an ALS research.  I'm overwhelmed by their generosity and gift!  And they gave me other gifts as well! My children are awesome!

And my husband always spoils me for Christmas and my birthday.  He gave me lots of clothes from Nordstrom, earring of the month, (the gift that keeps on giving every month) jeans from Gap, the book "Walk with Me."   I'm blessed to have married such a generous and giving man!

Jenny's Gifts

Jenny gave me two gifts that were extra special to me.  We saw this picture of Mount Timpanogos Temple when we were out one day and she bought it for me.



Here's what she wrote on the back:

Dear Mom,

Happy 54^th birthday! This picture meant a lot to me when you showed it to me on our annual Beehive Bazaar day at The Porch on Main. When I was nineteen years old, I received my endowments in the Timpanogos temple. You were there every step of the way and made me feel at ease and were so willing to answer my questions. That was a bonding experience as I learned from you and felt comforted by your knowledge, patience, kindness, and experience. I remember feeling so grateful for you that day. The Timpanogos temple is also where you served as an ordinance worker and initiatory coordinator. Throughout your service there I attended the temple many times. I cannot express how much I enjoyed seeing your beautiful, smiling face when I entered the Lord’s house. You set such an example to me of faith, diligence, and love. You never complained about waking up early, giving up your day, or any of the inconveniences that serving may have given. Even when going through a personal trial you didn’t give up on serving in the temple. You taught me so much through your example. Seeing you in the temple each Wednesday morning would brighten my day and fill my soul with immense feelings of love for the incredible mother that I have, you. I hope that every time you look at this picture you think about how much I truly look up to and love you and that you’ll remember that I will do anything for you.

Love,

Jenny  

Her other gift to me was this willow statue, which is entitled "Close to me."  It says "together or apart, always close to me."  I'm so thankful for Jenny and her gifts to me, what a sweet daughter. And those are the flowers that Hillary gave me for my birthday behind.

Layton Trip

Wednesday Jenny and I went to Layton.  Mary generously offered to watch Connor, Abby and Andrew while Laura and Alan went to Buenos Aires.  Jenny and I went to help Mary take care of the kids.  We weren't much help but we were company.  Mary is a good mother and Jenny is a good aunt.  It's a joy to watch my daughters become mothers.  I can't help much any more since I can't talk and my hands don't work much. But I taught Sophie on my ipad that I can write and she can read messages from me.  It's nice to be able to communicate with my grandchildren that way.  I got lots of nice love notes from the kids!

Weekend with Laura

Papa with Hannah

It was great to have Laura and Hannah here this weekend as we celebrated Jenny's graduation from UVU.

the graduate with Ayden and Sophie

seesters

the proud parents

cute Jenny

Jenny and Trevor

Laura and Mary put on a spread of treats after the graduation

Sunday night we went to the cabin ~ just the girls: Laura, Mary, Jenny, Hannah and Myla and me. We enjoyed some girl time together, it was just too short since Laura went home today :(

sisters at the cabin

Jenny Graduates from UVU & Laura and Hannah are here!

Jenny and Trevor at Jenny's graduation
(more and better pictures to come)

Hannah and I having a snuggle

Jenny and Heather Lilley

When we served as Mission President in Daejeon, Todd, Jenny and Michael attended TCIS ~ Taejon Christian International School. Jenny became fast friends with Heather Lilley who is from England and attended TCIS. They have kept in touch through email and letters and facebook over the past 7 years and Heather came this week on her first trip to the States to spend a week with Jenny. What a great friendship!

On Tuesday morning I joined them for a short hike at Bridal Veil Falls. It's so delightful to listen to Heather talk in her British accent!

at the bottom of the falls

after the hike to mid-falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Myla Jae and Sophie Lynn

Thursday Jenny and I went to Mary's to get out hair done. I got these cute pictures of Myla and Sophie. Blonde hair and cute grandkiddies ~ what a great day!

Myla being my buddy (pre-hair done for me)

Sophie had a fever and wasn't feeling great, but she still had a great smile for me

Seesters in NY

My three daughters are together in New York right now. Mary and Jenny went back to meet Hannah, and visit the Buchanan family for a bit. (Alan always uses that term, "a bit," it sounds so British - which is where he served his mission. I've found myself using it lately) It makes me so happy that my girls are such good friends and enjoy each other so much.

it's all good!

Ideas from Laura

Every time I visit Laura I get some ideas of things I want to do at my house. One time I read a book she had and reorganized all my scrapbooking stuff.

This time I got three great ideas:

1. I copied her and got this poster.



Here's this history according to Wikipedia:

Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British Government in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War, intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was little known and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private sector companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of other products. There are only two known surviving examples of the poster outside of government archives.

I love this sentiment. "Keep Calm" reminds me of "Be still" and is always good advice. And "Carry On" is as Laura put it, just keep enduring and do it well.

Of course, hanging this post meant that I had to change my walls around a bit. But that's always a good thing.



2. Laura reminded my of how her friend, Gabby Blair, of DesignMom fame arranges her books in rainbow order. So I took all the books off my shelf, which had been arranged sort of by genre, and put them in the spectrum. I love it!

The rainbow starts on the left and goes across the top shelf and down across the next shelf to the left. I love how the heights kind of make a rainbow shape! There's a section of brown and black on the third shelf on the right and then all the white books are on the bottom left. The third shelf on the right is my journals tied in ribbons by year. The bottom right is magazines and miscellaneous.

3. Andrew's clothes are under his bed in wheeled boxes that roll easily. I had some things under my bed that were not as well organized as I would like. So I bought a couple of the wheeled underbed boxes and got organized.

Thanks, Laura!

it's all good!