Doesn't it just go by in a blink.

BEST NEWS!

I'm back and catching up is not easy. Hopefully I've learned my lesson...
A lot has happened in 4 1/2 months but the most important event is two new granddaughters joined our family. Most of you know that we were blessed with a miracle when Elena Marie was born. I struggled between fear and faith that day, watching the doctors and nurses helping Alison and praying she would be all right. Thankfully Heavenly Father wanted what we wanted and she is here to be a mom to her little family. And then three weeks later Hannah Noelle was born to Cory and Stephanie. Safe and healthy. Sometimes when I'm home by myself I think 'I have four adorable grandchildren who live 5 minutes away...what am I doing here at home?! I'm glad I can see them so much.

Elena and Hannah were blessed on October 12. Sara came home and Ben and Janae were here too. What a great weekend!

Sara also came after the babies were born, and to go to the fair and eat a cinnamon roll with me, and to celebrate her birthday. She'll be done with her internship in St. George by Christmas. Then who knows what exciting things she will do.

Sara, Stephanie and Hannah




Elena in her new swimsuit.

Cinnamon rolls at the Fair! Jesus rented a wheelchair for Alison - she was still recovering from surgery but didn't want to miss the fair! Caleb and Patrick spent most of the time climbing on a cardboard box... They did like the animals too.

Happy Birthday Sara and Kristina!

I love my kids!

MAMMOTH!

These pictures are backwards...but nevertheless... In August we went to Mammoth and stayed in Uncle Tim's condo for a week. Crowding 10 people in a two bedroom condo may not sound like a good idea but we had the best time. This is us on the city trolley. We took a ride across town to have ice cream one afternoon. Caleb loved the ride - he was pretty sad when we had to get off.

Janae and the boys.

One day we took a picnic to one of the lakes nearby and rented a row boat. It was a gorgeous place. You can see a waterfall at the other end of the lake.

Another day we found a park where the boys could play. We had lunch and then had some serious relay races that everyone loved...

Ben and Janae stayed in a campground up the road for two nights. One of those nights we all went up and fixed hot dogs and smores for dinner with them. Cory and Sara took turns playing the guitar so we could sing around the campfire.

Hiking with Grandma.

The first day we all took a hike up to Devil's Post Pile, (look that one up on the internet) even the pregnant ladies and little boys. Cory, Sara and I went back up later and hiked to Rainbow Falls. Cory and Sara didn't have to carry me one time!

Ben and Sara with the Mammoth.

This summer Cory was called to serve in the Monica Ward Bishopric.
Here he is with the good men in our ward and stake who have been such great examples to him over the years, four of them were his bishops.

Grandpa decided to sell his old red pickup. A sad day for Caleb and Patrick. Good thing he bought this to replace it: and much more fun for grandma too!

RECRUITING TRIPS

Here's Jerry and Cliff Johnson at the BYU Idaho Career Fair. It wasn't snowing this time but it was 24 degrees one day and we decided that was too cold for us to consider it a place to retire.

A week later we were at BYU Hawaii... what can I say.
Jerry always has to do his job...(darn) but we are able to ejoy the shrimp truck, shaved ice, relaxing, scenery. ..Even just being on campus is one of my favorite things.

Here we are in the Lobby of Turtle Bay on Halloween - sorry we missed it in Bakersfield but we did see pictures!

I did get to go to the Pumpkin Patch with everyone.

Hannah and Grandma.

Patrick and Caleb

Popcorn on Sunday evenings. Sometimes I have little boys on my island and sometimes I have $100,000 in cash... I don't know which is more fun.

Yes I do.

Do I dare?

Alison is in Utah and Stephanie is busy at home so I am going to attempt to post a new blog all by myself... and catch up for two months! Here goes.
Sara graduated from BYU!! Hurray! Hurray! (Most of these pictures are on A & S's blogs, but just incase you missed them...) Yes Sara graduated and we (most of us) were there to celebrate with her. We rented a friends motorhome and went to Provo. It was such fun. We are so proud of her. She just moved to St. George and started her internship at the hospital there, working in the lab, until December. Then she wants to move somewhere that has a beach.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Caleb cools off in the sink on the way home. The boys were pretty good on the trip, watching videos and trying to hang on when Grandpa changed lanes. Patrick liked to sit up front and point out the moto-cho-cho's as they went by. (All 729 of them...)

My Mother's Day lei from my great kids. How did I get so lucky?

In May we went to the Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, took a trip through the Strawberry Shortcake Tent (I won't go into details but you can guess how glorious that was) and then spent the afternoon at the beach. We flew a kite and dug holes, chased waves and seagulls...you know the rest. It was a great day.

For some magical reason everyone was able to come home on Labor Day - also Jerry's birthday. That doesn't happen very often and we love it when it does. This is after breakfast at Lorene's, before Ben and Janae left and took Sara to the airport.

After school got out, (I quit my job after being an aide for BCSD for 11 years.) I went back to Provo for my mom's birthday and to see Sara participate in a Triathalon...which turned into a Biathalon because of the wet, rainy roads - no biking. A big disappointment for Sara who had worked so hard training for it. Here she is getting ready to go into Salem Pond (I actually played there when I was very young) just south of Provo. It was a cold wintery day (June 7....!!!) but she said the water was warmer than the air.

After the swim and run with her friend Elizabeth. (A couple of weeks later they both went back over and did the whole thing together in good weather... so now Sara can cross 'Triathalon' off of her Life List.) Yea!

After the 'biathalon' Sara and I met the Standifirds - my sister's famliy - in Park City. The men went golfing and we girls went shopping. Need I say more ladies... We stayed in an fabulous condo with them. Thank you so much! The celestial kingdom could be eating, shopping and laughing in Park City with the Standifirds (and anyone else who wants to come.) It is one of the most beautiful valleys I have ever seen.

Patty and I decided to take a road trip together. So she came back with me to California. Here we are after church getting ready to leave. (Not in this car - my midlife crisis car - which we just sold - haleluja!) I now have a more practical car - which every grandma needs. Bye bye convertible.On the way home we stopped in Las Vegas to see Ryan, Allyson and Lucy. ( And Ryan's golf course- he is a college graduate and is an assistant superintendent there) . I might see Patty a little bit more now that she has kids in Nevada. We got to see Lucy's new bed and go to breakfast with her and her mom.

While Patty was with me we went to Orange County to hear Ben perform in the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization Orchestra. It was started by two amazingly talented young men that Patty knows (of course - doesn't she know everyone) She is a great friend of their mother from back in her Idaho days. The concert was patriotic and inspiring. Ben was using his new horn. It was so fun to be there with him and Janae.

Patty helped clean my house for a RS activity, made salads, made me get in the swimming pool which I sometimes forget to do, bought my grandkids surprizes... I want to be just like her when I grow up.

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  Going out to dinner with two-year olds is always an adventure. This was for Aunt Wendy's birthday.
  
  

  
  

  Then I had a birthday! Which we kind of celebrated all weekend - thanks to Jerry. Dinner out, then breakfast with my friends, then lunch with Cory, Stephanie and Caleb. Jewelry... and a coupon from my kids to have my mother-in-law's platform rocking chair recovered. Which I will need in September when my TWO granddaughters come! This is a picture of the darling birthday cake Glen and Ann Pitt's brought to me - made by their daughter-in-law.
  

  
  Last of all. Jerry and I just got back from a conference in Las Vegas. This is the botanical garden at the Bellagio Hotel. Not great shopping there unless you have money to burn but it is a gorgeous, fancy place to stay - when CBIZ is paying for it. And the mall at Cesars Palace is right next door...
  
  The end. If this works...and Alison sees it...I hope she doesn't go into early labor, she'll be so shocked. Hurray for me!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Oh the places I've been!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

I feel like I've been gone more this year than I've been home. And now that I am an experienced blogger (Alison is sitting right here) I can blog it all!
In January Jerry and I went to Scottsdale Arizona for a conference. Thank you CBIZ. I got to go to the Mesa Temple and to Tuscon to see my niece Kristin and her cute family. In February we flew to Idaho Falls and then to Rexburg to the BYU Idaho Career Fair, and for recruiting interviews, again thank you CBIZ. I went to the new Rexburg Temple while Jerry was busy with the accounting students. We flew from there (5 degrees) to Hawaii (82 degrees) for the BYU Hawaii Career Fair and more interviews. I've decided I like the weather in Hawaii more than I do winter in Idaho...shocking I know. In March I went to Utah for my Spring Vacation. I played with Sara when she got home from school and visited my parents and brothers and sister. This month Jerry and I and another couple rode our motorcycles to Death Valley! Yes I'm a biker chick! But I'm on the back of a Honda Gold Wing - kind of like sitting in a recliner. Jerry and his buddies have gone there several times and he felt like I should see it! It was beautiful in a desert sort of way. I was surprised at how much color there was on the hills and mountains. Clear blue skies and amazing stars.The temperature was in the low 90's but they said by May 15 it would be 115. We stayed at a fun resort. (Open year 'round!) Lots of things to do for families. There's even a golf course at 215 feet below sea level. If you haven't been to Scotty's Castle you should look it up on the internet. It was a fun ride.

This month we went back to Hawaii - Jerry spoke to the Accounting students and taught in two classes. I went to the Laie Temple during that trip...I try and remember how lucky I am to go to this beautiful place so often.
And this past week we went to Disneyland (thank you so much CBIZ!) This is the second year they have payed for the tax people to go after tax season. Cory was ready for time with his family and a day off of work. Alison, Jesus and Patrick came too. Ben and Janae came to our hotel for pizza on Friday night and then had breakfast with us Saturday morning. Jerry had to work like he has the past few years. He says he is jinxed!

This week we go to Provo for Sara's graduation! Yea! I am so excited for her to have achieved such a great goal. I am so thankful she got to go to BYU - It has been a long challenging time, but I think she has loved most of what she has done there. And the fact that she made it to the end- well, I am a proud mother. She will be officially done in December when she finishes her internship at the St. George Hospital.
Sorry for the travel log - and now the pictures:

Rexburg Idaho Temple
in the snow. 2/21/08

Me on BYU Hawaii Campus: 2/25/08
Jerry and I at the Career Fair:

Sara with the cousins in Highland. Stand up comedians are not this funny! 3/16/08

Me and Sara on St. Patricks Day. Her favorite holiday. 'It's all about the outfit. You don't need a boyfriend and if you're poor it doesn't matter - you don't need to buy presents.'

Grandma and Grandpa with Doug's "new car."

Caleb's 2nd birthday party. 3/22/08

Our Death Valley Trip with Fred and Donna Cummings. 3/4/08

Shaved Ice at Motsumoto's on the North Shore. 4/12/08

Our view of Hawaii.

Disneyland. 4/18/08 After the Dumbo Ride. Caleb loved it. Patrick did not.Watching the Disney Parade. Alison said I could use this picture. She is just pulling her shirt down.

Breakfast with everyone after a long day at Disneyland. Caleb and Patrick had more fun with this luggage cart than anything else we did...
This is the end of my blog. Except one last picture of my adorable boys. If you have read the whole thing and looked at all the pictures I will send you $5.