Another fun trip to Mexico with the Stanfields

We arrived in Rosarito Thursday evening, unpacked and settled in.  Judy came out with some golf balls that she had purchased for us.  Only to be used for putting.  We don’t want to take the chance of losing this wild golf balls in the weeds.  Along with Mexico always comes the (what Judy and I fondly refer to as “Smut Magazines”).  We always have to read the People magazines that have been accumulated since our last trip.

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Neal and I always try to buy a nice gift for Ron and Judy to show them our appreciation for their generosity and hospitality.  We bought these place mats and napkins at the Tommy Bahama store. 

We had a great dinner and then Neal, Ron and I started a puzzle – that took us the whole week to put together.  It was not an easy one.  Neal and Ron did most of the work!

Miracles happen every day!

This was one of those Saturdays that make you think you are living a nightmare!  We got a call from Maren at 8 a.m. telling us that Taylor was having a dance recital at Cottonwood High School.  Her three dances were 9:15, 12:45 and 1:45.  Mallory had a flute recital at the U of U Concert Hall at 2:30.  I had a two hour appointment with Lyndsy at 10:00 a.m. and Neal and I were hosting a dinner for his singles ward at 3 p.m.  Something had to go and so I had to opt out of my granddaughters performances because of time issues.  I got home from Lyndsy’s at 12:45 and began preparing the dinner.  I turned on the oven to start heating so I could put in the potatoes to bake and the roast to do the same.  About 10 after 1 I heard the oven beat at me and I remember thinking that it shouldn’t be heated up to 425 yet.  I looked at the settings and a number had come up – F-7.  I opened the oven door and NO HEAT!  I quickly checked my instruction book and F-7 means no heat and turn off the oven and call a repair service!  YIKES.  I had people coming for dinner and I didn’t have an oven that worked.  Panic struck for just a moment.  I realized the only thing I could do was get my roaster pan down, put the meat in the bottom and pile the tin foiled potatoes on the top of the meat, turn the heat to it’s highest setting and pray!  Well, pray I did.  I said that I new there wasn’t any magic to be done but if it were possible could I please have the dinner done by three so I could feed the guests.  I went about preparing the rest of the meal, setting the table and generally getting everything ready as if there were going to be a meal.  I did come up with a back up plan just in case things didn’t get done.  I would send Neal to get some pizzas and we could at least have a main course with the salads, rolls and vegetables.  By the way, I made home made rolls but with no way to cook them – they went in the garbage!  Neal ran to the store and bought some rolls.

Now, for the miracle.  We were supposed to eat at 3:00 p.m.  I checked the potatoes at 2:50 and they were obviously getting done but totally not ready to eat.  I thought, gosh if we only had another 1/2 hour the potatoes and meat would be done to perfection!  Guess what.  EVERYONE was a 1/2 hour late!  Honest.  Say what you want, but by the time everyone got there and sat down and I served up the dinner, it was 3:45 and the meal was done to perfection!  We had a wonderful visit with the Bishopric and young adults that we were honoring and the food was delicious!  Thank you for miracles. 

How often do we say little prayers and then don’t recognize that they were answered and forget to say “thank you”.  I told Mindy that last week I was walking along 13th East and needed to cross the street.  I waited for the light and when it turned green and the little walk man appeared I just about stepped off the curb but something held me back and in the split second of hesitation a truck came roaring by and had apparently not seen the red light and went through it!  Had I stepped out right when I intended, I would have been dead or seriously injured.  I cannot deny prayers being answered and guardian angels on my right and on my left protecting me and helping me along. 

I love my sign above my back door that says A. S. A. P.  Believe me, I do not leave the house without kneeling and thanking my Heavenly Father for the day and praying for safety for me and my family.  May we all be aware of the blessings we receive on a daily basis and acknowledge who is sending them down to us!

Then came the egg contest!

And Neal/dadl/Pa wins the much coveted trophy for 2012!  It came down to Pa and Brock.  Almost sad to beat out a grandchild.

There was much discussion about how hard we hit each other’s eggs and the fact that Neal had a little Easter sticker on the end of his egg.  As family members were throwing out comments, that we all in fun, Emmi wrote them down.  Below is the bracket and the rules for next year that I’m more than positive, no one will follow because it just doesn’t make one bit of difference as to whether your egg will break or not.  I love this family tradition!  We always miss Tucker and Jamie and the three girls and CJ, Justin and Derek.  How will they ever win if they aren’t here to participate.  Very sad.

The steroid comment because when Greg hit Maddie’s egg, he not only crushed the end of her egg but nearly split it to the other end!  Of course, the sticker was for Pa’s sake.  The other two rules I can’t give a report on where they came from or why.  I guess one has to recognize that this is SERIOUS business!!

What a wonderful day we had.  I love my family and I love being together.  We miss those who live far away but know that you are always thought of and missed when we are together.  The other night when Neal and I were at the mall, we ran into Nanette.  As we talked she turned to me and said, “How are YOUR kids – Lynda and Jeff?”  How very sad that even she who has adopted children doesn’t get that we are a sealed together forever family and that we all love each other and that we are ONE family.  I’m grateful to all my children who understand, believe and live the principle of a forever family. 

Easter gathering continues:

After dinner, we visited for some time.  I didn’t even jump right up and start clearing the table.  Everyone seemed to just want to enjoy each other and visit and I didn’t want to break into the mood.  So I hung onto my seat and tried to enjoy the mess around me!  The kids became anxious for the egg hunt.  Emmi, Mallory and Maddie decided this was their year to be on the adult side of things so I sent the three girls outside with the stuffed plastic eggs and they had fun hiding them for the younger ones.  Pictures of the gathering of grandchildren and the hunt.  Notice the egg trophy sitting on the grand.  Lyndsy was the winner last year and had to relinquish it to this years winner.  The last picture is everyone jumping.  That comes from Tucker and Derek!  Every picture I took in China it seemed that one of them jumped just as I snapped the shot! 

Saturday Family Easter Gathering

Our day began with the gathering and dinner.  We had the usual, Greg’s special ham along with a small roast, funeral potatoes, a fruit and greens salad from MIndy, Maren’s famous pasta salad, Lyndsy’s salsa and guacamole and Lynda Ann’s bread bunny and rolls.  Thanks to all, it was a delicious dinner.  Notice the famous Easter Egg decoration that Annie made two years ago.  There is also a picture of Emmi very carefully going over the dates and names on the egg trophy.

Lyndsy, River, Neal and I out together one evening last week for Café Rio. Yummm

A project finished–another started!

The project finished except for putting on the little red ribbons just above each number and then sewing a back on and putting the dowel on the top to hang it from. 

While we were in China, I mentioned that I had a ride on a moped with a Chinese Security person to take me to some back street counted cross stitch station.  It literally was a hole in the ground kind of place, but it was there that Derek found the counted cross he wanted me to do for him.  When I opened it up to sort the thread, check the material and try and figure out the directions – there was a gasp.  Of course everything is in Chinese so reading anything was not an option.  The volume of thread was enough to put fear in any stitcher.  They mark their fabric with purple ink in 10 count squares and their material is not as nice as I like.  So off to the stitchery station to get another piece of material to work on.  (Of course I bought a couple more projects!)  I got the thread all sorted and figured out code so that I know what color I’m supposed to be using.  Apparently they stitch by the square – we stitch by starting in the very center and working our way out.  I did it my way and have officially put in some hours. 

 

This is where we are as of April 6, 2012,  If you look closely, you will see that I have done the small clump of flowers in the upper middle.  You will also get an idea of how much MORE there is to do.  I must love Derek a lot!  Yes, I do.

Before and After

I will admit that I have some things that I just can’t stand and one of those things is untidy stacks of stuff.  If you are going to stack stuff then at least have it look nice and in even piles.  I walked into our walk in closet the other night and glanced up at Neal’s shelves on his side of the closet and that was all it took.  I started pulling everything down off the shelves and thus began the process of sorting, folding and reorganizing his stuff.  It felt so much better when I was done.  How long will it last? 

Ahhhhhhhh  Much better.  Now I can breathe again!

Some blessings and miracles I need to record.

All arrived in China safely, had a wonderful safe time, and arrived home happy and glad to be in these United States safe and sound.

Tucker called last night and told us that a huge deal he was working on went through!  He has captured one of the biggest school districts in California to be part of their companies program.  Way to go Tucker!

I sang in a quartet this morning at a ward conference and have had a scratchy throat for the past two weeks.  I was singing soprano and concerned that I wouldn’t be able to hit the high notes.  Thanks to a prayer and a prayer answered my voice was clear and true during the song.  My talk went well too.  Do I believe in miracles?  Most definitely.  They happen almost every day in my life.