Week of January 27, 2013

Sunday

What a snowy day!  I can't believe all the snow and blowing that has been and continues to happen.  It's been a while since we have had a winter like this.  We didn't go anywhere in the afternoon because it was too snowy.  Joe and Tesha came because they had a meeting at Grandma Harris' home.  She has been falling and they are trying to decide what to do.  It ended up being cancelled, so they spent the afternoon with us.  They hadn't come prepared for change of clothes, so when Ben needed something new to wear I brought up the bucket of boys clothes from downstairs.  Anyone recognize this outfit?  My mother made it and gave to Chris when Marion was born, and it has gone through all of you boys and some of the grandsons.  I showed Ben the picture of his dad wearing it and also the one of cousin Steven wearing it that hangs in the dining room.

 He even looks like Joe

Grandpa made cookies with Ben and Zack

Monday-Tuesday

Our days seem to be filled with a lot, but the same.  I continue cleaning the shelves that have all my stuff from Young Woman's, Family History Consultant, and mother/grandmother/family party/ things.  It made me tired.  Not the cleaning, the remembering of everything I've done.  I just threw a ton away and figured it was oil in my lamp and didn't need to be on my shelf.  The doors close.  Probably the first time in 8 years. 

Snow pictures dad took on Tuesday:

The snow is beautiful as long as you don't have to drive in it.  I didn't go in and exercise today.  I shoveled the driveway instead.  It was actually fun.  But I'm glad I don't do it every day.

Wednesday

Snowy and extra study time.  We've been getting ready to go on our trip to California and finishing up projects for it.  I'm so excited to go and take Mallory, Cecily, & Bekah to see Kirsten get baptized on Saturday.  There will be plenty of pictures for this! 

Thursday - Saturday

We take our trip to California!

I think I will just comment with each picture.

Picking up Mallory from Fielding school.  Ready to go!

Picking up Cecily and a picture in the snow

 Stopping at Krispy Kreme donuts in Orem. After all, Cecily lived here (in Orem) when she was a baby.  We didn't need to see her house, just KK

 I wonder whose idea it was?

 Playing at Becka's house.

 We delivered the Christmas gift from Joe and Tesha to Peter's family.  Tesha made little purses for all the girls.  They are so cute.  They snap shut (old metal measuring tape).  The girls absolutely loved them. They never left their side.

 We are all here and ready to go to California!

 Katrina and Olivia saying good-bye.  The first thing Cecily said when we got out of the car in St. George was, "Look at the grass!"

 We stopped for temple pictures!

Bekah, Mallory, and Cecily

We had to get one with the flowers and palm tree in the background.

Eating Little Ceasar's pizza on the grass for lunch in Barstow

 We are here!  (Just in case any of the dads are looking at this, the children from left to right are:

Cecily, Bekah, Sam under Danny's arm, Kirsten, & Mallory)

 I gave them all their birthday gifts for this year: A book, a copy of 'Dear Journal', and I made them all matching scarves. Little Marren is in the background.

 Immediately everyone went outside to ride scooters, bikes, and play in the warm sunshine.

 I thought skits were something they only did at grandma's but I have very imaginative grandchildren.

 All playing in the school room.  They would not even come for dinner.  We had a Norwegian dinner where the parents ate first.  We had a nice quiet dinner with John and Stacey before the kids decided they would eat.

 More skits.  I just adopted all these orphens.

 All writing in their journals together.

 Bedtime, but not sleep time!

 Timmy eating lunch with us out back.  I decided I had to eat outside; it was just too beautiful.  As I set the chairs outside, they disappeared.  I set the table out and it also disappeared.  The kids were all playing a game just through the side fence.  I found them and decided to eat with them.  Of course, I had to have my eyes scanned and read so they knew I was safe.  We had a very 'imaginative' and entertaining lunch.

 

Scraping the last of the big pot of soup.  

Visiting with Pete and Tammy and Timmy

 This is a 'reenactment' of the picture that was taken at Kirsten's blessing.  They have the same pose as they did then.  John will have to post that picture on the family website or whoever else has one.  The sad thing is that Jared was not with us.  I felt really bad we did not have room in the car for him.  Sometimes I miss my big van. We missed you, Jared!

 Getting ready to go to the baptism.

Pictures from the baptism.

Danny, Sam, Kirsten, Timmy, with John & Stacey in the back and Marren in the front.

 All here with John & Tammy Roring and Stacey's sister Nicole and her 2 kids.  We also have Ben's (Amanda's brother) kids.

 Little baby Marren Marie

Congratulations, Kirsten.  Baptism is such an important step in your life.  You now have the gift of the Holy Ghost to be your guide through the rest of your life.  

Seek for it's companionship all your life.

We had such a wonderful time.  It was so fun to take the girls with us to celebrate Kirsten's baptism with her.  I will finish out the trip on my next blog post.

We loved spending the time with them.  Think of us when you want to take a family vacation/trip.  We would love to come with you and spend individual time with each of you.

Have a wonderful week.