Mexico vacation continued

On Sunday we went to Sacrament Meeting.  It was the first Sunday of the month so it was Fast and Testimony Meeting.  Of course, we understand very little but it was good to be able to partake of the sacrament and feel the spirit of the meeting.  After the meeting we went to a fun place to have breakfast.  It was amazing.

 My favorite picture from the whole trip!

How we have loved our trips to Mexico with our dear friends, Ron and Judy.  Thanks Stanfields for many wonderful memories!

The ending of a fun vacation

We have been going to Rosarito, Mexico ever since 2001.  We've gone down at least 2 times a year and have enjoyed every times we have been there.  We love playing golf there, eating tacos at a certain taco stand - one that would never pass our safety food standards!  We loved shopping at the local supermarket, fixing lots of good food and playing hours of bridge.  We always shop on the way down and sometimes on the way back.  It was sad to know that this would be our last trip.  Ron and Judy put their home up for sale and it sold in one week.  Our last trip down could have been uneventful if I hadn't had a battle with some bed bugs!  Woke up the first morning and thought I had hives.  Woke up the second morning and was covered with hives.  As Neal and I made the bed we spotted a bedbug that was full of blood.  More investigation and 5 more bedbugs were found!  Neal and I counted over 60 bites on my chin, neck and arms.  I've never had anything itch like these bedbug bites do.  I've about scratched my skin off!

The pictures really don't show the extent of the bites.  Believe me, there were many and they are horrible.
Now back to the trip.  When we arrived in San Diego we stopped at an Italian place and had some dinner.  It was absolutely delicious!

We always have great times golfing.

Ron and Neal get pedicures while Judy and I read our books and talked.  Neither one of us needed pedicure or manicure.

This is a picture of me buying some liquor for two friends of mine, Heather and Nick.  Judy thought it was funny that the Stake Relief Society President was buying liquor so had to take a picture.

Found a box of old pictures.

Such fun memories.  I found these old pictures in a box tucked away at the back of a drawer in the guest room.  I think these were taken when Neal and I went back to the New York scout gathering.  Except this first picture is Neal actually doing some dishes at home!

 My birthday.  The writing is totally Neal.

 The pictures following are when we were touring some of the church sites.

More cleaning and discovering more memories

Last night I got in the mood to do something I've wanted to do for a few months.  I changed the furniture all around, vacuumed and cleaned walls and baseboards.  the day bed is in front of the window and the sewing machine on the north wall.  It actually opens up the room.  After moving furniture, I cleaned out all the drawers and found this card and picture.  It brought me to a dead stop and the tears welled up.  I love you Jeffrey and I miss you.

Some day I need to learn more about blogging options.  For the life of me I can figure out how to turn this picture right side up.  Sorry.  It will just have to be looked at sideways!  :-)

Ryan turns 16!

Can't believe that all the grandchildren are reaching their mid teen years.  Neal and I called Ryan and sang Happy Birthday to him.  He said that he had gone shooting with Mindy's brother, Rick.  We love Ryan and hope that he has a great 16th year!  This is a group of pictures that Mindy sent to me that Ryan posted on Face Book.  Great pictures!!

A trip to Provo

Lynda Ann and I drove down to Provo to get a load of Emmi's belongings.  She has officially finished her Junior year at BYU.  Her last final is Tuesday morning and she will be headed home for the summer and a full time job at Dugway.  We decided to have lunch at the pizza place and from there drove down by the new Provo temple and also drove by the home that I grew up in.  The Provo Temple is beautiful and certainly dresses up the neighborhood.  Lynda Ann loved the flag flying out front.  Notice that is is standing straight out.  We had a strong wind that day and it was on the edge of being cold.  We got Emmi packed up, left her with the bare necessities to finish out her last days for this year and headed back to Salt Lake.  It was a really fun day.

A typical weather picture in April

Coming home from work on Friday, I had to stop and take this picture of Mt. Olympus.  One has to love the weather changes from day to day in Utah.

Another of Annie's school projects for her kids.

Andrew had to do a project for school of a famous person in history.  I don't remember who he chose but this is what Lynda Ann, Andrew and Abby came up with.  It is made out of salt dough.  A person sitting on a bench reading books.  Notice the books beside the bench and the pages of the book he is reading.

Eagle Scout Carving

Neal had a young man in the stake who was getting his eagle scout award.  He likes to carve a neckerchief for them and they get to choose what they want.  This young man wanted a Y.  He is an avid cougar fan.  I think it about killed him to do it, but he did.  Pictures of the process and finished project.  Beautifully done!

The ducks have taken over

These crazy ducks come back here every single year.  How long to ducks live?  I would love to put a tracker on these crazy duck friends of ours.  I know these are the same drakes and hens that have brought Spring into our neighborhood every year.  I tried to back out of the driveway the other day and this is what I had to back around.  Believe me, they don't move.  The just sit there and quack at you.  Crazy ducks!  Jamie and Tucker have frogs and we have ducks.  I think I'll keep the ducks!

Easter Parade

Here are some cute pictures of the Tucker Maxfield family.  They all could certainly fit in an Easter Parade.  Love all the pictures.  Thanks for sharing the pictures.  Loved them!

Finding treasures

It has been interesting cleaning out Neal's office getting it ready to have the wood floors installed.  I've found all kinds treasures.  This little treasure just almost brought me to tears.  Derek made this bookmark for me in December of 1991.  I remember using it and then it got put away in the packing from Lynwood to Mapleridge.  It got put away in a box in Neal's office and there it has been for the past 14 years.  What a treasure and what a fun find.  I now have it marking my pages as I'm reading the Vince Flynn series about Mitch Rapp.  Tucker introduced me to this series and that is all I've been reading for the past few weeks.  I'm on the 12th book in a series of 13.  Thanks Derek for the great Christmas present and Tucker for some good books to put the book mark in!

Easter Gathering

This is the second time the family has gathered together since we lost Jeffrey.  It was good to have Mindy, Ryan and Grayson come to dinner.  Maddie had been up at UNI for treatment and was just released yesterday.  She was really tired and decided not to come.  She was missed.  We also were missing Jaden and Taylor.  Taylor was in New York with her drill team and Jaden was with some friends at some event downtown.

We had dinner which consisted of Honey Baked Ham and roasted turkey breast with funeral potatoes, baked potatoes (for those who don't like funeral potatoes), salad, veggies, watermelon and rolls.  For dessert we had egg shaped and frosted sugar cookies.

After dinner we did the egg contest and the winner for the year 2016 was Lyndsy!  The sad things is that she had to take James home and so she wasn't even there to do the final egg tap and enjoy the win.  I asked Annie if her kids would decorate and egg for Neal and I.  Even though we lost the eggs were decorated darling.  Mine was piglet and Neal's was Tiger!  The piglet egg is the one all in pink on the left and Tiger is right next to me and Tiger is followed by Eyore which was Jeff's egg.  Very clever!

This is a picture of Abby and I starting the egg battle.

After the egg contest we went outside for the Easter Egg Hunt.  We only had 5 boys who wanted to do the hunt.  Andrew, River, Desmond, Brock and Mr. Boston.  Abby, Emmi, and Mallory hid the eggs around the yard.  Here is the traditional picture of the oldest to youngest grandchild lined up ready for the hunt.  This is only a representation of half the grandchildren.  We have 10 present and missing 10.

 This was a picture of 'tall, short, and taller!

 Maren and Greg horsing around.  Notice Maren is holding up Greg!

The picture above is the grandchildren going through their treasures.  I heard them trading the candy.  It was like the Christmas cereal trading only this was with Easter candy.  It was fun to here them going with "two for one" or three for two"  etc.  Cute picture of the Gertson girls and mom.