Birthdays Backwards.

November 5, 2011
Cory's birthday dinner at Woolgrowers-
He and Alison thought it was time they tried tongue...

They decided they probably wouldn't need to do that again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October

Jesus spent his birthday eating his mom's pot roast in Texas - while he was job hunting. We did have cake when he got home.

September
Sara and her roommate Sarah had a twin birthday bash in Salt Lake.
This is at Dewars when she came home the next day.

Ben and Janae's birthdays were in August - so maybe this counts for them too,
Caleb and Patrick turned 5 this year!

September, 17, 2011
Hannah's great all-day party in Success Valley.
There was fishing,

Actual catching fish. (For some.)

Playing. "You're coming in loud and clear good buddy."

Swing hanging. With surprisingly no injuries...

And presents.

Patrick's Spiderman Party.

A non-whacking pinata. Just yank the string.
So easy and less violent.

August - Elena celebrating at Rosemary's.

Wow!! It's not a car but I'm still excited!!

June 23. My birthday in Utah. Lunch with Patty.

And a yummy lemon cake with Sara.

May 25, Jer's birthday with Jesus and Alison.

The end.

WARNING! No pictures,

Stephanie suggested I post this on my blog since I haven't done one for a while. It's just a Randall Family Update. Here goes:


Hey Family,

It's been awhile since I've done this and every time I talk to each of you I think 'I wonder if Ben knows this about Sara', or 'I need to tell Alison what Stephanie is doing to her house...' and so forth. So hopefully I can remember some of the family news to include.

At this moment Dad is riding his motor - cho cho through Colorado with the Rusty Rim Gang and some other friends from the East Coast. The first and the last days will be hot but in between they will have great

weather and scenery. He has sent me pictures. (The last night they will be staying at our house in St. George. I hope they take their boots off...) He'll be back on Wednesday in time to go to the Chrystal Palace dinner for the California Distinguished Young Women, and then to take care of his responsibilities as President of the Board. Miss San Diego - Sidiqa, and Miss Delano - Christine are staying with us this week. Christine is the winner I helped judge in March. She is a member of the church and came with me this morning before her rehearsal only to see her cousin - Stacy Nichols husband - who was here for Kyle Nichols mission talk. Small world. Sidiqa is a bubbly beach girl who plays the guitar and doesn't have a dishwasher! Crazy!

I went to St. George last week to pick up Grandpa's kitchen table that Alison wanted, and to look at the condo we bought for Wendy and to enjoy our house for a few days. Sara even decided to come down one night so we could go out to dinner. Long trip but worth it for me. Dad will be helping Wendy move from Texas to St. George in August. Hopefully she will love it there as much as we do. PS Her condo complex has a pool and tennis court... isn't that fun.
Ben and Janae bought boogie boards... finally! They decided that they should take advantage of living so close to the beach... it's about time. Maybe they'll be tying cameras to their kite ski someday like Janae's dad. Sara and I got to see some of his videos when we were there on Father's Day. We stayed with B and J that night on our way to Utah after hearing Ben shine in a concert in Newport Beach. (Thanks for the invite - it doesn't really make up for missing that Tabernacle thing but it will do for while.) Both Ben and I got parking tickets the next morning because we didn't move our cars out of the way of the street sweeper. I have an excuse but Ben should know better. Janae is tutoring this summer like she did last year. She seems to stay employed even in a time of unemployment... Good for her. She has skills that people need. They are starting the adoption process over again which is recommended after two years. It's mind boggling what they have to do. Too bad every parent can't be this prepared.
Cory has achieved a great milestone in his life... He subscribes to a newspaper!!! It seems that this has been a goal of his for years. Oh, AND maybe I should tell you this: (drum roll please) after years and months... and great anticipation, he has received his CPA Certificate! I'm not kidding. We think we need to have a celebration - we'll let you know about that. Good job Cory. Two accountants in the family are much better than one. Stephanie is doing great things to the house. Painting paneling, furniture refinishing and planting a garden that is taking over the yard. And maybe you've heard of the birds and the bees... well Cory and Steph have bats, bees, and buffalo.... That's right - there are bats living under the shutters around Caleb's bedroom window... a beehive in the tree in the front yard and when I went to see them this week, I went to a FHE potluck at some nice people's house and there was a buffalo in the pasture next door. I'm not kidding about that either. ps - Hannah is potty trained - we need to celebrate that too.
Alison and Jesus have a kitten - yep - when the duck disappeared a few weeks ago (did you know they had a duck?) they decided to get a kitten. Patrick and Elena love her (Cheddar) but she doesn't really love them yet. I'm sure she will when Elena stops twirling her around by one paw, and putting her in the oven of the play kitchen.... J and A leave for Girl's Camp this week. Jesus is cooking and Alison is doing the 3rd year hike. Raise your hand if you have great memories of Big Meadow. :) Alison is in training for Volkslav again - yay! and Jesus has been getting his exercise on the Kern River this summer. Patrick and Caleb start Kindergarten in August. Caleb will be going to the Little Red School House (seriously) just down the road from his house and Patrick will be at Eissler Elementary. Not kidding. Go Eagles!!
Sara (you remember Sara) is moving again and when I asked her if she wanted to come down and go to the beach that same week - she said she would rather: have octuplets in a covered wagon, in 14 degrees with ravenous wolves outside... than move. So why, you may ask, is she moving? Well the rent is cheaper! and she will be in a house with three fun girls, a back yard, movie nights on Tuesday... all that fun stuff.
It will be so worth it. She has decided to stay in Utah for awhile longer - maybe this will be the mildest winter in their history. She is singing in a choir in the Tabernacle for a Young Adult Conference sometime... maybe I should go up for that.
The real reason I started this email is to pick a date for a family vacation NEXT summer... (If we are still able to fit in a beach day this year we will.) Any suggestions? Anyway I'm thinking the second week of August 2012. We can decided on the 'where' later but if everyone puts that on their calendar now we can save it and do something fun. And if we have to adjust it we can. And I'm definitely not kidding about this.
I love you all. Thanks for the support after grandpa died. I feel so blessed to have been his daughter. I can't think of anything he didn't teach me. (That means I'll be perfect someday if I apply it all.) It was the best
time having you there with my family. Sorry Jesus and Janae missed it. It was a great party - and I am not kidding!
I'm going to bed now.
Love, mom

I Love My Banks!

Seven years ago when we moved into our house we planted Banks Roses on this wall. Every Spring this is what we see happen for about two months.

Call me crazy...

I have always loved Menorahs and Sara gave me one for Christmas.
I never got candles for it but found some Easter ones this week.

I hope this isn't sac-religious. Doesn't The Light of Christ apply at Easter time too?

Helping Stephanie out. Her camera has given up the ghost.

Alison and Stephanie on our St. Patrick's Day visit to Cory and Steph's new house.

There are horses - therefore horseshoes.

Tractors!

I just can't seem to get this into reverse...

A pond with fish.

And best of all - fruit trees! All kinds! Right now the oranges are excellent.

After they moved in we went back.

Perfect for their dinning room table.

A belated birthday party for Caleb.
Cory, who is only 10 minutes from work came home to say hi.

Elena, or as we like to call her - Hair - and Hannah.

Feeding Mr. Brown carrots. He lives across the street.

And sipping a little homemade lemonade.. right off the trees.

Well Stephanie did pick them, squeeze them and add some sugar.
It was a great day.

**First Annual Girl's Weekend **

I met Sara and my two nieces in St. George for a little R & R.
There should have been more 'girls' there but oh well - it's a start.

We had Breakfast at the Bear Claw!
We stayed up and chatted by the fire.

There was Solitaire - did you know you can actually play it with real cards!

And roasted tomato bisque (Sara) and grilled cheese sandwiches (Whitney).

We went to Zion - next time we'll actually go in and do some hiking.

And the girls went to Vegas to shop! Sara looks pretty excited - doesn't she?
Maybe she doesn't think Trix ( her new car) will be able to hold all their purchases...

The week I was there my brother called to tell me my Dad's Aunt Phyllis had passed away and would I represent the family and go to the viewing. This is my Dad's now only living aunt - Aunt Kay. My Grandma Ruby died when I was in High School and it was the neatest thing to see her sister and talk about my Grandma and their family of 13! Aunt Kay is 88 and still works in the Denver Temple.