April 2020 written in May

1. It's been a great spring. The house continues

toward completion and the yard and garden

have never looked so great.

Tesha made this and it was a work of art.

Filled with veggies we had quite the feast.

2. Spring. Everyone has been outside enjoying

the great weather and working in the yard. The large

garden had been added to for a strawberry patch

and watermelon patch.

3. Joe's family has been on some great,

local hikes. They have a hobby of rock

collecting and found some great ones!

4. Daniel and Ellen bought a home and we

helped them clean and paint it so it was ready

to move in. Thanks to family for the moving day!

5. John and Caleb. This was during the

COVID 19 pandemic and quarantine.

6. Moving Grandma Capener's piano.

7. It was Caleb's birthday, so we celebrated with

pizza, drinks, and Twinkies for a "birthday cake."

8. The mama cat had kittens. The kids liked

to carry them around in their shirts.

9. This pandemic has given us all more family time.

In a way, it really has been nice. Here is Joe "working"

hard with family around. Sometimes he would come

downstairs when he needed quiet time.

10. We were refinishing the table that I grew up with to

have it in our new home. Under the table I had

written my on it. Now we know where it comes from.

11. Chris brought over his Fooseball table to put in our

unfinished basement. The kids have already had a great

time with it. One the other end of the basement is all

the food storage buckets and cans. We can't figure out where

we put it all. There are about 150 buckets. 

12. Less Wheatley (Val's dad) did our cabinets. They are

so beautiful. Jeffrey and Dusty helped install them.

13. Tesha has her tomato plants covered from the cold.

14. The outside of our house. We debated on whether to

have the rock, but we're very happy with it. 

15.  Back of the house. It sure looks big from the back.

I'm glad the basement is so high and has tons of light.

16. Dad's teserac light fixture in the front hall.

17. My big brother Paul also signed his name.

18. Catharine's birthday. She's four years old.

The last two months have gone by fast even though

we've been quarantined to the house. I'm glad we had

some little kids to be with and then Zander and Amelia came

to play also. Think back on the things we've learned from

this pandemic. It wasn't too bad, because we could still go

to the store. Stock up what you needed, because I don't think

it will be the last time we will be in need. Feel free to come and

get some of our buckets of wheat or flour. I would also add

milk to that, but I'm saving it for pigs if we ever get any.

Remember who is in charge. There are things that will come

to pass in these latter days that will be hard, but we know the

ending. One talk I listened to said, "Put your seat belts and hold

on to your principles." 

I promise you there truly is peace in the Savior.  

March 2020 blog written in May

Two strikes against me. I'm doing this in May

and my March 2020 Blog Album in Google photos

won't all upload. The photos will be out of order, but here goes:

1. The Zoom meetings during the quarantine have been 

great. This is Alaina playing during the instrument

recital we had. Thanks for all the talent

2. Catharine will soon be four. I was working at the

table and she wanted to do a 100 piece puzzle.

I gave her a few hints and with very little help

she did it. She stayed with it for over an hour.

Don't believe it when they say small children don't

have long attention spans. It just has to be something they like.

3. Gabe, Tom & Mel's son. I love keeping in

touch through face time.

4. It's great to have Joe's family so close. They are

right upstairs. We get to go celebrate with them.

This is Leah's 6th birthday. She love TJ Masks, and she got

all four of them. They sure had a good time.

5. Picture of a Zoom meeting.

6. Joe and Tesha have worked hard to get repairs done

on the Castle. They fixed the wall and built a safer

staircase. They also brought in some sand.

This is looking forward to the family reunion.

7. Grandma Jensen's lemon cake with the best sauce on

top. We've been working a little bit on it with mostly A. Robinette

to put together her cookbook again. The cost is will be $3.75. We

added some pictures and short article in with the recipes.

8. We ate a bag of raspberries before we went out to prune

them. It was good to be reminded of how yummy they are.

11.  First cookout of the season. It was a beautiful day.

12. When going through pictures and things, it is

amazing what we find that we've forgotten about.

Here is the cutest Valentine card from Emily & Rob

with Marri and Soffie. Such cute little girls.

13. When landfill was brought from the 8-plex down

the road, we had them drop extra. The kids have

had a ball in this GREAT BIG sandpile.

14. At the beginning of the month, Zander had his Grandparents day.

It was so fun to go and watch his program, eat with him, and see room.

We were babysitting Luke, so he came with us.

15. Luke, Grandpa, Zander, Grandma

16. Zander at his desk.

17. Grandpa, Sophie, and Grandma. We went to see her

in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. It

was such an amazing production. We came a few days later

and brought Bekah, Mallory, Katrina and Isaac to see it also.

18. Mallory, Sophie, Bekah, & Katrina.


19. Grandparents day with Ben. He loved showing
us around the school.


20. Rob came up to speak to the SUP in Brigham City
and brought Cecily with him. It was great to hear
his lecture.


21. I love reading Dick and Jane with beginning
readers. This is me and Leah having a great time
reading and laughing with the stories.


22. I was pruning and Catharine came out to help. She
worked with me for over an hour. We'd trade off cutting
and gathering the canes.

I haven't posted for a long time. I am actually over at
Ellen's watching the boys while she and Daniel are at the
hospital. Little baby William John joined our family this
morning (May 19, 2020) at 7:45 this morning. I'm filled
with great gratitude to Heavenly Father for all the blessings
He has given us. I have had such a happy life, and I hope
to still have many more years. I love you all.

February, 2020

1. On the first of February, Zach was baptized, but it was included

in last month's blog. On the 6th, Jetta invited us to a Grandparent's

breakfast. We were on our mission, so it worked out perfect!

We picked her up in the morning and went to a wonderful breakfast

and saw her school, room, desk, and had a great time. Then we 

went on to our mission. Thanks Jennetta for a great time! We love you.

2. Grandma's old, black genealogy binders came in to good use
when I was looking at FamilySearch, Elizabeth Capener
had 34 children. Obviously, it wasn't right, but I didn't know
what was right either. I pulled out the binder and Gradma
had the page. This family was my grandpa's great uncle, so they
would have known them. Sometimes paper is nice.

3. Mike and Emily had a ward Valentine's dance the week before
Valentine's, so we got to babysit the boys. We had a great time.

4. We invited Katie over for dinner the Sunday
after her birthday and Spender and Ryan. They all came
and Katie brought a very nice boy with her. We
had such a good time. We ate a big Sunday dinner and
took a tour of the house. I feed bad we didn't get a better picture.
Katie is next to Ryan and Spencer. I'm in front of her friend.

5. I gave Spencer and Ryan the quilt I made for them.
They really like it. I'm glad they are not moving yet.

6. They had a special party for the release of Saints, Vol. 2
The Church Museum has a new display for children
called, Temples Dot the Earth. It was a great evening.

7. We take a picture of the house with the updates.
They've been very busy. Since this picture, they
have completed the sheet rocking.

8. Great times with cousins: Amelia and Catherine

9. Delivering sheet rock early on a Saturday morning.

10. Zach, Leah, and Ben under the stairs. We thought
we'd put wheat under here, but it would just be
too cool for a Harry Potter room, so we're open for ideas!

11. Sheet rock and Val's dad, Les Wheatly,
built a cupboard that fits in the space behind the
coat closet. It will hold 9 banquet tables that
fold in half. They worked hard to get it in.

12. Yeah for Grandparent's Day! We got to go to lunch with
Zach and see his room. We had such a good time.

13. Isaac got his Eagle. It was great to go and see him get it.
Marion and Isaac

14. Isaac and Sue

15. Us and Isaac

16. It's spring and Leah just learned to ride her bike.
She was so excited. A childhood joy:)

17. Ellen's funeral was wonderful. Each of the boys and
Becky spoke. It was so interesting. We all learned a lot
about her. Paul and Ellen's family were all there. It was
good to see and meet some of them. David and Joe's family
and Mike at the luncheon afterwards.

18. No one was missing. Front: Lars, LeAnn, Becky, Teemarie,
Mike, Natalie and Jorgan with their children and
grandchildren behind them.

19. At the Riverside Cemetery

It's been a month of reflection, tender moments, and lessons
learned.  Someone near death gives a whole new perspective
on life. We prioritize things different when death is knocking
on the door. My last visit with Ellen she talked a lot about her
family and the joy she had because of them.
She came to America alone and ended up with so much more
than she thought she would ever have.
Family - We realized that we have always had a family. In pre-earth
life, we lived with Heavenly Parents in a family environment as
Spirit children. When we came to earth, we all came into some kind
of a family. We at least had a mother. When Ellen left this world,
she would immediately be with Paul and Tom, her brother and
parents. With family.   No wonder Satan is trying to destroy the family.
The Family has been and always will be here.
 I'm so thankful for all of our family.
Every one of you.