Our Saturday gathering

Everyone got her at 3:00 and we had prayer and then sat down for a traditional dinner of ham, potatoes, carrots, salad and rolls.  We visited for a while and then had the Easter Egg contest.  Emmi wins for the 4th time and gets to take the trophy home!  We also had a treasure hunt for the kids and then played some games before everyone had to leave.  It was a great day, great weather and lots of family love.  We miss those who couldn't come.  Lyndsy chose to spend the day with Ben's family.  We missed have her and River and Desmond with us.  Tucker and Jamie were in Texas visiting some friends and we certainly missed them.  It has been a long time since we've had Tucker's family here for Easter.
Some pictures of the day's celebration:  Neal had Andrew and Hayley help him plant the two big pots out by the swimming pool while we were waiting for the rest of the family to come.

 Abby made Easter bunny cupcakes with miniature M&M's in the middle and a chocolate bunny on top the cupcake.  We love them!  Thanks Abby for always being so creative.

 Of course, Greg changed our glass door to a screen.  It is that time of year again.  He is so good to always do that for us.  Thanks Greg.  It is nice to have the breeze come through the house.

 Annie kids made mine and Neal's Easter eggs for the contest.  You can already guess what Neal's was.

 Emmi made this egg.  I just about chose this one over the Y but stayed with the my original choice.

 Lynda Ann made this one of a whale.  You can't see, but she even has eyes on him.

 The contest begins.

 The final two people.  Emmi is the winner for 2017!  Her 4th time.

 Mindy, Maddie and Grayson came and Mindy brought me this tulips.  There are beautiful and I love them.  Thank you Mindy.  It was so good to have you spend some time with us.

I'm speaking in Sacrament meeting tomorrow at 9:00.  I will write about my talk tomorrow.  Mallory is also speaking so Neal and I are hoping we can get out to Stansbury in time to hear Mallory speak.  Their Sacrament Meeting begins at 11:00 a.m.  We should just make it.

Easter preparations

There is always a lot to do when the family is coming over for dinner. We didn't have an Easter egg hunt this year because Boston is the only one who wanted to do it so instead, Abby prepared a  scavenger hunt for all the kids.  Neal and I put together an Easter goodie bag for each grandchild. 

We then go the table set and everything ready for Saturday's celebration.  The center piece is a chocolate cake Easter Bunny with his tail and paw on top and his head buried in the barrel.

RS Lesson for the Retirement Center

The lesson this month was on Coming to Know Christ from President Hinckley's life.  It is always a challenge to come up with a lesson that is applicable to these sweet older brothers and sisters.  I told a couple stories and then I handed out a 7 day Walk With Christ packet.  Each day they take one piece of paper out of the packet, read the story and the scriptures that are suggested.  I also got each one of them a frosted Easter egg sugar cookie for Easter.  The loved the sugar cookie!  I hope some of them will actually follow the guidelines in the handout.

Sunday Morning 4.19.17

These are two pictures that I took this morning as I looked out the window.  We were told that we might have snow on the valley floor and this time they weren't kidding.  As I look out the window now, the sun is shining and most all of the snow has melted.  That is what I LOVE about Utah weather.  We get all kinds of weather in the Spring of the year and it doesn't last too long as Spring turns to Summer.    I sent these pictures to Tucker this morning because I wanted him to see what he is missing. :-)

Jordyn Lyn Maxfield

Amazing as it is, Jordyn Lyn turned 15!  It is hard to believe that she is already 15 years old.  I so remember when she was born - way too early - and going up to the intensive care unit to peek at her.  We couldn't touch her, we could only look.  This tiny little thing that we all prayed would survive her vicarious and untimely beginning.  We love you so much, Jordyn Lyn and wish you a wonderful year of happy times and adventures.  jWhat a beautiful girl!!

General Conference

The older I get, the more I LOVE general conference.  I recognize the modern advancement in technology for people all over the world to hear or watch general conference.  We are a world wide church and growing strong.  I'm so thankful for the testimony I have of the gospel.  I'm grateful for the sacrifices my mother made when she joined the church and moved us to Provo so that we could be surrounded by members of the church.  She never slacked in her commitment to the church and her testimony.  Her example and teachings stand as a witness to me.  All the talks were amazing.  My favorite was Ronald A. Rasband who talked about recognizing the Holy Ghost in our lives.  All the messages were timely and all touched my heart.  Elder Weatherford T. Clayton talked about the Plan of Salvation and I thought about Jeffrey and it confirmed again my testimony of life here after.  I love and miss my Jeffrey.  But I know I will be united with him again and I know he is busy watching over his family.  To my posterity - I know the church is true.  Stay true to your beliefs and hang tight to the iron rod - the word of God.
Picture of me watching conference Saturday morning snuggled under my blanket that Annie made me for Christmas. 

Neal golfing with the country club group.

I found this picture of Neal that was taken when he golfed with the country club group when we were in St. George last week.  He said it was a fun experience, but wasn't easy golfing with these older men who golf almost every good day of their lives.  All retired and all members of the country club.  I don't know when Neal and I will ever officially retire and I know that we will never belong to a country club!

Notice Neal is showing off his underwear!  Ron Stanfield is to Neal's right, back row. 

Monday I got a call from Annie telling me that she wasn't feeling well and felt really sick.  Chest hurt when she coughed, hard to breathe and just felt sick all over.  Tuesday our conversation was pretty much the same only she felt worse.  Tuesday she finally went to the doctors, after dropping the kids off for school.  The doctor's assistant check her and told her to take Ibuprofen and sent her home.  Wednesday morning she was worse so went back and the same stupid person told her that she needed antibiotics for her strep throat.  Strep throat?  Where did that come from?  Annie had never been tested for strep and her throat didn't hurt, it was her chest and breathing that was the problem.  With very little trust in the diagnosis she went home.  Thursday morning feeling increasingly worse, she went back and the assistant told her that she needed to give her something for her sinus infection!  Annie has had enough issues with sinus infections to know for a fact she did not have sinus problems.  She got up and left and as she was walking out the door she said, "I'm going to the hospital where they know what they are doing!"  She went to the emergency room where she works and they check her and admitted her to the hospital.  Annie said as she was walking in one of the nurses saw her and said, "Lynda, are you okay?"  Lynda said she burst into tears and the nurse immediately took her in and that is when they determined that she needed to be admitted.  She had pneumonia is both lungs, fever and the inability to breathe normally.  They also thought that she might have a blood clot in her lung, but thank goodness, that was not the case.  She was admitted on Thursday and given a heavy does of antibiotics.  She came home Friday midday with the direction from the doctor to continue the prescribed medication and take it easy.  I will add here that I was extremely emotional after losing Jeffrey I just didn't think I could go through this again.  I am so thankful for modern medicine, good doctors and medications we can take to heal sicknesses that in years past might have shortened our time. 

Grandparents Day

I got a text from River asking if I would come and have lunch at his school for grandparents day.  Neal was in Orem all day and couldn't get away from his classes but it worked for me to leave work and go over to the school.  River is in the 5th grade and doing great.  He is at the top of his class in Math and Science and he said he was in the middle in his reading.  The changes in him since James put him in school is amazing.  We talked as we had lunch and he said that he loves school and is glad he is going.  I enjoyed being with him and was so glad that River invited me.  I have to add here that River said his mother colored his hair.  I believe it was red, pink and yellow.  Thanks River for inviting me I had a great time, even eating the school lunch!

A week in St. George

Ron and Judy invited us to St. George for a much needed get-away.  Neal had been doing double duty by teaching at UVU and U of P.  We drove down early Wednesday morning and came home Saturday night.  We had too many assignments for Sunday to stay.  Ron and Judy stayed until Tuesday.  We left St. George at 5:30 and from the time we hit Cedar City until we drove into Provo it was pouring down rain and I mean pouring.  I had the windshield wipers going a full speed all the way home.  It was a bit scary passing those big semi trucks but we made it home safe and sound.  We pulled in the garage at 9:30.  We made good time. 

When I got to work Monday morning I found this note stuck to my computer.  Cute that Emmi would stop by and then leave a note like this:  "Hey Gam!  Stopped to say hi but I guess you were out.  Love you!  Emmi"

I just realized that I didn't take one picture while we were in St. George.  Neal and Ron golfed with some guys at the country club.  Judy and I shopped and we played lots of bridge, watched movies and had great food to eat.  Judy is an amazing cook! 

The dancing girls of Kingsburg

Tucker sent me these pictures of the girls.  I especially love the one of Peyton and her dance partner.

 What beautiful girls.  Love getting pictures of them.  Wish we could be there to actually see them dance.

Ryan's prom date

Mindy sent me this picture of Ryan and his date to the junior prom.  I can't believe my grandchildren are getting old enough to drive and date.  Handsome couple, don't  you think? 

How prepared are you?

The Salt Lake County asked for volunteers to go out and knock on doors and do a survey of 60 questions on preparedness.  Questions like:  Do you have an escape plan?  Have you practiced it?  Do you have enough water for three days?  Do you have family or friends you can go to if you were asked to evacuate?

Ashley and I volunteered.  We had to contact 10 people.  We were assigned a huge apartment complex, which was perfect.  We easily found 10 people home and were done in a about an hour and a half.  We both decided we would never do that for a living but we had to admit that we had a good time.  We even knocked on a door of a young married couple.  One of the questions was if you spoke more than one language.  They answered that they both spoke Russian.  Well that wasn't hard for me to figure out why they both spoke a foreign language and the same one.  After we asked them the questions I came right out with, "Did you two serve an LDS mission?"  They did and that is where they met.  We took a selfie of ourselves out surveying.

Mallory gets her passport!

This was an exciting day for Mallory because she finally got her passport.  This is something she has wanted for a very long time.  She wants to go to Canada for her high school graduation trip and wants me to come along with she and her mom.  I'm so excited.  She is excited because she will get to have a stamp in her passport.  Exciting times.  Annie got hers as well. 

Abigail Jeannine turns 16!

It is happening.  All of our grandchildren are growing up and getting older.  Abby's request for her 16th birthday was to have her Gam cook a turkey dinner.  I prepared the bread and the turkey the night before her birthday.  Got up at 5:30 in the morning and with the help of Neal we got the turkey in the oven.  That big bird c for ooked slowly all day long.  Neal and I left for Stansbury at 4:30 and ended up having a delicious and complete turkey dinner.  It was delicious.  Annie prepared all the trimmings to go with the dinner and made some strawberry pies.  It was fun to be at Annie's and celebrate Abby's 16th birthday.  What a beautiful girl you are and we are so happy and proud of all you are accomplishing, are and becoming.  We love you Abby.

 I have to tell the story of the dressing and the food processor.  I gave my old processor to Lynda Ann and Emmi and ran to Macey's to buy me a new one that was on a great sale.  I bought it, returned home and unpacked it and put it together so that I could see how it worked.  As I was taking the part they call the "bowl" (it is the part the food is mixed in) off the machine it slipped out of my hand and went flying across the kitchen, hitting the table and bouncing off the floor.  Of course it broke and cracked.  When it hit the corner of the table it took a piece out of it about the size of a quarter and when it hit the floor it cracked up both sides of the handle.  Well, needless to say I was sick.  I had to get on line and order a new bowl at the price of $50.00.  Half of what I had saved on the sale I had to put back into the silly thing!  I was not a happy camper!  This happened about a week before I was to prepare the dressing for the turkey.  I needed to puree the onion and the celery and needed the processor to do that.  So, I got creative.  I found some silver electric tape and taped over the hole and up both sides of the cracks.  It worked!!!  I was amazed and very happy.  Amazing what some good tape can do.

 I pulled the tape back so you could see the hole.  You have to look closely but you can see the damage I did to it.

Pictures of the birthday celebration.

 They forgot to get candles so Mallory grabbed the lighter and while we sang happy birthday, Abby blew out the lighter.  Very creative.

I might add here, just for the record, that Hayley had been diagnosed with pneumonia.  She was a very sick little girl.

My California girls

This picture was sent to us from Tucker.  He said that Jamie and the two older girls were in Santa Clara for a dance competition.  Jordyn Lyn and Lexi did their duet dance and took 1st place overall!  They beat 12 competitors for 1st.  Jordyn said they were mentally prepared to tell the story and let the dance flow.  The dance is called "scared" and they said they were so in tune they had tears in their eyes by the end of the dance.  I so wish Neal and I lived closer so that we could participate in their successes more often.  But grateful that Jamie and Tucker keep us informed as to the milestones the girls reach.  Love you all and so very proud of you.

Hair day

Annie and I have appointments scheduled with Dave for hair coloring and cut.  Annie's appointment was at 11:00 and mine at noon.  It was fun to have us both processing at the same time.  David is amazing and we wouldn't let anyone else mess with our hair.  It would have been fun to go get a pedicure after our hair was done but Annie had to hustle back to Stansbury to get Andrew ready for his overnight camp out.  Maybe next time.

Hayley's concert

Hayley invited us out to her band concert.  She is now playing the bass clarinet.  It was fun to see her perform and be invited.  Below are some cute pictures that I was able to sneak.  We are proud of you Hayley.  I also have to mention here that I noticed that Hayley had a certificate from the school hanging on her wall that said she was on the honor roll! 

Brock

Maren sent this picture of Brock to Neal and said that Brock bought this shirt and loves it.  He told Maren that it reminds him of Pa.  She said, "You may have a Tommy Bahama grandchild in the making.  Great picture and Brock you look so handsome.

More snow

This is what we woke up to last week and this week our temperatures will be in the 70's!  Go figure.  It is so typical of our crazy Utah unpredictable weather.  Couldn't resist taking a picture of Mt. Olympus with the fresh snow as a coating.

Lesson on Prayer

I have my next lesson on prayer this Wednesday night.  A few bits and pieces from my lesson.

"None of us can really make it alone, we need help, the kind of help that can come in answer to prayer."  That is a quote from President Hinckley.  He promised "Be prayerful and the God of Heaven will smile upon you and bless you and give happiness in your hearts and a sense of peace in your lives.  Never forget who you are.  You are in very deed a child of God.  He is your Eternal Father.  He loves you."

Here are some thoughts from President Uchtdorf.  He said:  "One of the things I loved most about flying was departing from a dark and rainy airport, climbing through thick and threatening winter clouds, and then suddenly breaking through the dark mist and steeply gaining altitude into the bright sunshine and endless blue sky.

I often marveled at how this physical act parallels our personal lives.  How often do we find ourselves surrounded by threatening clouds and stormy weather, wondering if the darkness will ever pass? 

In order to get the airplane off the ground, we must create lift.  Lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane causing pressure underneath the wing that is greater than the pressure above the wing.  When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.

In a similar way, we can create lift in our spiritual life.  When the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit.

Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift." 

I made these cute handouts for my brothers and sisters at the retirement center.

Abby, Mallory and Hayley helped me put these together.  Thanks girls!  I know they will be a hit!

Neal's new car

I realized after church that I hadn't taken a picture of Neal's new car so I had him pose by his new BMW.